Show-Me State Times

A man from Poplar Bluff, Missouri, identified as Adam D. Gambling, has confessed to setting fires that resulted in the burning of 220 acres of U.S. Forest Service and private land in 2022. Gambling admitted to his actions in U.S. District Court in Cape Girardeau, where he pleaded guilty to one felony count of setting fires on public land. The fires, which occurred on November 8, 2022, near Beaver Lake in the Mark Twain National Forest in Butler County, affected both public and private properties.

According to reports, 95.3 acres of the burned land were privately owned. The U.S. Forest Service, following an investigation, identified Gambling as the suspect behind the arson. In a voluntary interview at his residence, Gambling confessed to starting the fires. As a result of his actions, Gambling has agreed to repay $66,094 to the U.S. Forest Service for the costs incurred in extinguishing the fires.

Gambling is set to be sentenced on May 24 and could face a penalty of up to five years in prison, a $250,000 fine, or both. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Shelton.

The incident serves as a reminder of the devastating consequences of arson and the importance of preserving and protecting public and private lands from such destructive acts.