LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- A southern Indiana judge sentenced the man who burned down the historic George Rogers Clark homesite.

Jason Fosse pleaded guilty last month to arson in the May 2021 fire near the Falls of the Ohio State Park that destroyed the replica cabin. The only thing left standing was the chimney.

Fosse was arrested a day after the fire, after he was identified from surveillance images. Although Fosse was sentenced on Monday, his time in custody is coming to an end.

"Your honor, he's been in for 679 days," said Jennifer Culotta, Fosse's attorney.

"The state would be asking that it be an aggravated sentence," prosecutors argued. "That he be sentenced to 10 years with six executed and four suspended with restitution of $3,500."

After hearing from the prosecution and defense, Judge Vicki Carmichael handed down a sentence, but Fosse will not be going to prison or pay restitution.

"Eight years with five suspended and the balance of the executed time of three years will be served on community corrections," Carmichael said.

Although the prosecution requested the maximum sentence, Fosse's remaining time will be under the supervision of Community Corrections.

"In the state of Indiana, Community Corrections is kind of like a super probation," Culotta said. "So it's a little bit higher than your regular probation. He'll do that for the balance of three years."

Jason Fosse mugshot.jpg

Jason Fosse. (Photo courtesy of Clark County Sheriff's Office)

The cabin was Clark's home from 1803-09, according to the Falls of the Ohio website. Clark and his older brother built the home there in 1803 as a place to spend his retirement years, according to the National Parks Service. 

The cabin was rebuilt in 2001 after the original was destroyed in 1854.

The site was also an "integral part of the Lewis and Clark expedition story," according to the Falls of of the Ohio.

Indiana DNR said it wants to rebuild the cabin as part of a larger renovation at the Falls of the Ohio. The project is still in the planning stages.

IMAGES | Cabin at George Rogers Clark historic site in Clarksville gutted by fire

Indiana parks officials have contracted with a company to create a masterplan to rebuild the replica of the historic cabin.

"So one that's complete, then we will make that information public and determine what we're going to do on that site," said Lucas Green with Indiana DNR.

The cost of rebuilding is still unknown, but parks officials expected it will be a lot more than $35,000.

The town of Clarksville will get community input before coming up with a plan to replace the historic cabin.

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