BOSTON, Jan. 9, 2015—A Mattapan man was sentenced to prison today after admitting that he tried to set fire to his ex-girlfriend’s home when she refused to re-enter a relationship with him, Suffolk County District Attorney Daniel F. Conley said today.

TROY POINDEXTER (D.O.B. 2/8/78) today pleaded guilty to charges of attempted murder, arson, breaking and entering in the nighttime with intent to commit a felony, and assault with a dangerous weapon.  Judge Peter Lauriat sentenced him to three years in prison followed by five years of probation, during which time Poindexter must stay away and have no contact with his victims and complete a certified batterer’s intervention program.

Had the case proceeded to trial, Assistant District Attorney David McGowan would have presented evidence and testimony to prove that Poindexter had sent a series of messages to the victim in a failed attempt to restart their prior romantic relationship before he arrived at the woman’s Stonehurst Street home in the early hours of Sept. 7, 2013.

The victim, returning from work shortly before 2:00 a.m., arrived outside the home to find the house’s front door open and Poindexter in the threshold.  The victim then looked up to see the building’s second floor porch ablaze.

The woman contacted family and neighbors inside the building, all of whom were able to make it out safely.  Among those who escaped the fire were four children between the ages of 6 and 15.

Poindexter was seen running from the direction of the fire to his vehicle parked on Stonehurst Street.  Boston Police and Fire department personnel arrived on scene and were told by the victim that Poindexter – who was sitting inside his vehicle still parked on Stonehurst Street – had set the fire. Boston Police detectives and Boston Fire Department investigators determined that the fire was started on the porch with lighter fluid used as an accelerant.

“This crime was driven by the defendant’s need to assert control and to retaliate against a former partner who resisted that control,” Conley said.  “We’re lucky that no one was seriously injured – or worse.”

Conley urged the victims of any crime, including domestic violence, to call 911 in an emergency. SafeLink, a statewide DV hotline, can be reached at 877-785-2020. SafeLink is answered by trained advocates 24 hours a day in English, Spanish, and Portuguese, as well as TTY at 877-521-2601. It also has the capacity to provide multilingual translation in more than 140 languages.

Kerry Kolditz was the DA’s assigned victim-witness advocate.  Poindexter was represented by Makis Antzoulatos.

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All defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.