Toledo man enters plea to arson charges for setting his house ablaze

10/4/2018

 A man accused of setting his West Toledo home ablaze pleaded guilty Thursday.

Arif Farooki, 40, of the 3200 block of West Lincolnshire Boulevard, entered an Alford plea — not admitting guilt — to aggravated arson, a second-degree felony, and insurance fraud, a third-degree felony. A charge of first-degree felony aggravated arson will be dismissed at sentencing.

His co-defendant, Gloria Hollingsworth, 36, is charged with the same offenses. Her case is pending in Lucas County Common Pleas Court and she is expected to enter a plea Wednesday. 

Farooki faces up to 11 years in prison, with a $25,000 fine. Lucas County Common Pleas Court Judge Gene Zmuda is scheduled to sentence him Oct. 24. 

At about 3 a.m. June 30, firefighters responded to a fire at the West Lincolnshire Boulevard home. Investigators later learned Farooki and Ms. Hollingsworth concocted a plan to set the house ablaze, assistant county prosecutor Mark Herr said.

Farooki poured gasoline on the home, lit it on fire, and later called the insurance company for a claim of $160,000, Mr. Herr said.