A Schenectady woman found guilty of setting her business on fire to collect insurance money received the maximum sentence.
Zabeeda Permaul, 55, will spend 25 years to life in prison. This comes after last month's two-week long jury trial, which found her guilty of arson and insurance fraud for intentionally setting the Charlie's West Indian Bakery and Restaurant building on fire while a tenant was home.
Authorities say that, from the time Permaul bought the business until the arson, she had accumulated more than $200,000 in debt. Schenectady police say Permaul set the State Street building on fire in February 2015 after unplugging surveillance cameras.
Schenectady County District Attorney Robert Carney says Permaul earned that maximum sentence, because arson will not be tolerated.