SCRANTON — Lackawanna County Judge Andrew Jarbola on Wednesday sentenced a Carbon County man to five years probation for setting fire to the Brook Street home of a man arrested for killing his employer in Schuylkill County in 2023.
Barton James MacConnell, 39, 1536 Long Run Road, Lehighton, pleaded guilty to a felony count of criminal mischief in August.
On Aug. 2, 2023, Michael Albert struck and killed Mark T. Boyle with a dump truck in the driveway of Boyle’s welding and industrial sanding business in West Penn Twp., Schuylkill County.
Early the next day, on Aug. 3, Scranton firefighters responded to 436 Brook St., Scranton, Albert’s unoccupied home.
MacConnell was subsequently charged with arson.
MacConnell’s charging documents noted an angry crowd gathered around the police vehicle holding Albert shortly after Boyle was struck, with members of the group banging on the windows.
After police removed Albert from the scene, an employee of Boyle’s known as “Bart” pointed to Albert’s truck and said he would burn it down if it was not removed, too.
A dog trained to investigate arson detected accelerants at the burned Brook Street home.
In June, Albert pleaded guilty in Schuylkill County Court to misdemeanor charges of involuntary manslaughter and theft of services.
He was sentenced to 11½ to 23 months in Schuylkill County Prison.
Originally Published: October 23, 2025 at 10:29 AM EDT