College Professor Gets Indicted for Starting Ranch and Conrad Fire in Lassen County

A federal grand jury in Sacramento has indicted the College professor, Gary Maynard with arson. He was accused of starting several fires this summer including the Ranch and Conrad fire here in Lassen County, both of which were near the Dixie Fire. His arrest was made possible when Susanville police officers placed a tracking device under his car after stopping his vehicle. He has been charged with 4 counts of arson to federal property and one count of setting timber on fire. If convicted, he could be sent to prison for up to 20 years and fined as much as $250,000, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of California. Maynard was previously a lecturer at a number of California schools, including Sonoma State University, where he taught classes on criminal justice, cults, and deviant behavior.