Joshua Daryl McGregor of Savannah has been sentenced to five years in federal prison after pleading guilty to setting ablaze an outside dumpster at the McDonald’s he worked for once the drive-thru got too busy, according to a press release issued Wednesday by the United States Attorney’s Office (USAO). McGregor, 34, of Savannah, was sentenced to 60 months in prison after pleading guilty to arson, said Jill E. Steinberg, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. District Court Judge Lisa Godbey Wood also ordered McGregor to pay restitution for property lost in the fire, and to serve three years of supervised release upon completion of his prison term.

“Intentionally setting a fire in an effort to shut down or damage someone else’s property is inexcusable,” said Steinberg. “Joshua McGregor will have substantial time to ponder his post-prison employment options.”

The release explains that McGregor was an employee of the McDonald’s located at 2701 Montgomery Avenue. In April 2023, he became frustrated because the restaurant was becoming increasingly busy. McGregor lit a piece of cardboard on fire and tossed it into the dumpster, which was full of cardboard and other flammable materials. He ensured the fire ignited before returning to the restaurant. Customers in the drive-through at the time were forced to maneuver their way out of the parking lot while McDonald’s had to close while Savannah Fire Department (SFD) crews worked to put the fire out.

McGregor filmed the fire with his cell phone and was identified on surveillance video as the person responsible for starting the fire, according to the release. He was arrested by Savannah Police Department (SPD) investigators, and in May pled guilty to the charges.

“Arson is an extremely violent crime that not only destroys property but also places firefighters, first responders and the general public at great risk,” said Beau Kolodka, Assistant Special Agent in Charge for the ATF Atlanta Field Division, in the release. “The ATF, along with Savannah Fire’s Arson Unit and our other law enforcement partners, are committed to ensuring that our communities are safe and that those who commit these dangerous acts are held accountable.”

The case was investigated by SFD, SPD, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and prosecuted for the United States by Southern District of Georgia Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Makeia Raine Jonese.

This article appears in Connect Savannah I July 2024.