Charleroi man faces 8 years for deliberately torching sister's garage
Prosecutors in Charleroi have requested an eight-year prison sentence for a man who admitted to deliberately setting fire to his sister's garage on October 9th of last year. As of January 22, 2026: The fire was determined to be deliberate, originating from sheets on a sofa bed where the accused had been sleeping. This appears to be a new, separate incident or a significant correction to the previously reported case of Robert Donald Megela III, who in 2005 was sentenced to three to six years for five counts of felony arson and five counts of criminal mischief. Another individual, Christopher Demetrious Grasty, also pleaded guilty to arson on January 22, 2026, receiving a 3 to 6-year sentence for a 2024 fire causing $750,000 in damages and displacing 29 residents.
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Track this story2026
3 updates
2026
3 updatesAn expert determined the fire in the sister's garage was deliberate, originating from sheets on a sofa bed where the accused had been sleeping.
Christopher Demetrious Grasty pleaded guilty to arson and was sentenced to 3 to 6 years in jail for setting fire to California Manor in 2024, which caused $750,000 in damages and displaced 29 residents.
Prosecutors in Charleroi have requested an eight-year prison sentence for a man who admitted to deliberately setting fire to his sister's garage on October 9th of last year. This appears to be a new, separate incident or a significant correction to the previously reported case of Robert Donald Megela III.
2005
1 update
2005
1 updateMegela appeared before Judge Paul Pozonsky in Washington County Court and was sentenced to serve three to six years in jail after pleading guilty to five counts of felony arson and five counts of criminal mischief. He was also ordered to undergo mental health and drug and alcohol evaluations and pay restitution.
2004
5 updates
2004
5 updatesMegela's preliminary hearing took place, where State police Fire Marshal Steve Thompson testified about the surveillance operation.
Robert Megela III, 23, has confessed to setting 12 fires in the Charleroi area over a four-month period. He was apprehended by police while in the process of setting fire to a garage. Megela faces multiple charges, including arson and risking a catastrophe.
via post-gazette.com
Robert Donald Megela III was arrested by state police following an investigation that included surveillance in several areas of Charleroi.
Another garage, located at 216 Washington Ave., was set on fire.
Four separate fires were set at 312 Second St., resulting in a garage being gutted.
2003
3 updates
2003
3 updatesA bag of clothes and a Christmas tree were set on fire at 114 Lincoln Ave.
Megela set multiple fires, including a wreath on a front door at 112 Lincoln Ave., three mechanical deer and a plastic Christmas tree at 237 McKean Ave., and a plastic flowerpot at 315 Second St.
The first of a series of arsons attributed to Robert Donald Megela III occurred, involving a hay bale set on fire on a front porch at 308 Washington Ave., causing significant damage.
Story began · 22 years, 7 mo ago