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A sentencing decision has been reserved in the case of former Macklin volunteer firefighter Logan Sieben, who pleaded guilty to one count of arson causing property damage following a string of suspicious fires in the Macklin area in the summer of 2024.
Sieben, 25, admitted to deliberately setting several fires between July 28 and Aug. 25, 2024, targeting hay bales, grass and crops. The Crown said approximately 30 fires were part of the overall investigation, and Sieben used firelighters, flares and accelerants. His guilty plea avoided what was expected to be a two-week trial.
The sentencing hearing, originally scheduled for March 17, was delayed to allow for further legal proceedings. Sieben still faces two additional counts of arson for a fraudulent purpose, which will be addressed at a later date.
The court heard Monday that RCMP quickly turned their attention to Sieben after Sieben made comments about specific fires on how the area lacked surveillance and had limited access points. Investigators noted that Sieben had knowledge of fire behaviour, had remained near the scenes of several blazes, and had access to the areas through his job with an oilfield company.
Aggravating factors cited by the Crown included the breach of public trust, as Sieben was a trained firefighter and member of the Macklin Fire Department at the time. Macklin Fire Chief Justin Bast said the department was “perplexed” by the series of incidents and described the betrayal as deeply disappointing.
The fires resulted in a total estimated cost of more than $76,000 to local fire services. A proposed restitution order from the Crown recommends that Sieben pay the funds directly to the Macklin Fire Department, which would then distribute the money to rural municipalities and other parties that incurred costs.
However, defence counsel contested the restitution, arguing that it’s unclear how much of the total cost is directly attributable to Sieben. They suggested any financial recovery be pursued through civil court, adding that a fire department holding restitution funds in trust is virtually unheard of. The defence proposed a $1,000 monthly payment during probation, totalling $18,000.
Sieben has remained on community release and has not breached his conditions. He has sought mental health treatment, takes medication, and meets regularly with a psychologist. Court heard Sieben has a history of mental illness, including a diagnosis of bipolar disorder.
The crown proposed a six-month conditional sentence order followed by 18 months of probation, citing mitigating factors such as Sieben’s guilty plea, expressions of remorse, and efforts to rehabilitate. A pre-sentence report assessed his risk of reoffending at just 13 per cent.
Sieben addressed the court directly, apologizing and stating that “nothing like this will ever happen again.”
The judge has reserved decision to consider all evidence and submissions. A sentencing decision is expected on July 21.