This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2017, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

West Jordan • A 46-year-old West Jordan man who admitted to setting a series of fires in Salt Lake County last summer was sentenced Tuesday to 36 months of probation.

Judge William Kendall waived the one year of jail time — other than 61 days Brien O'Neil Kelly had already served in jail — partially because of a stroke Kelly suffered after pleading guilty to six counts of third-degree felony arson in 3rd District Court in November. Six other counts were dismissed.

Kendall also ordered Kelly pay $3,500 total restitution to three property owners whose fields were damaged between during the arson spree, from July 15 and Aug. 21.

Kelly pleaded guilty to intentionally setting three field fires on July 15 at 7586 W. Rose Canyon Road, 7509 W. Mountain Top Road, and Bacchus Highway (U-111) and 12000 South. A homeowner, whose fence was damaged, had to use a hose to prevent flames coming closer to his home. A photo on Kelly's phone places him at the scene prior to any fire engines arriving, and phone data places him near Rose Canyon in close proximity to the fires, charges state.

Kelly also pleaded guilty to intentionally setting field fires on Aug. 8, near 13800 South and Redwood Road, and at 14805 S. Camp Williams Road. The fires burned about 5 acres, and one fire came within 50 feet of homes.

Kelly alerted a police officer to one of the fires, and authorities saw him driving a large, white box truck at several fires.

Kelly also pleaded guilty to a sixth count for another intentionally set fire on Aug. 21 in the Rose Canyon area.

The defendant offered no explanation in court Tuesday for why he set the fires.

Twitter: @tiffany_mf