Conspirators are sentenced in Kansas City arson and insurance fraud scheme

Two men were sentenced Tuesday to federal prison for conspiring to burn houses in Kansas City after they bought and insured them.

Five houses were set on fire during the course of the conspiracy from 2007 to 2013, and insurance companies paid out more than $430,000 in claims submitted after the fires, according to federal prosecutors in Kansas City.

Each of the houses was bought for between $6,500 and $15,000. But they were insured for amounts from $88,000 to $307,000 after the conspirators lied on insurance applications about the houses being occupied or renovated. They also falsely claimed that there were valuable items in the houses.

The ringleader of the conspiracy, Joshua Stamps, 28, of Independence, was sentenced to 12 years and one month in prison. He was also ordered to pay $429,991 in restitution.

John S. Wayne, 31, of Kansas City was sentenced to five years in prison and ordered to pay back nearly $200,000.

Witnesses saw Wayne running from one burning house in 2011 with his pants on fire, according to court documents. The pants were left behind in the street but were later linked to him through DNA testing.

Three others who played lesser roles in the conspiracy were sentenced Tuesday to probation. Another man was sentenced to time served since his arrest.

This story was originally published June 30, 2015 at 4:20 PM with the headline "Conspirators are sentenced in Kansas City arson and insurance fraud scheme."