A Saco man was sentenced to 19 years in prison this week for attempted murder and arson, charges that arose from a domestic violence incident in October 2012.

All but 14 years of Donald Henson’s 20-year sentence for attempted murder were suspended, and a five-year sentence for arson will be served after he serves his first sentence, York County Justice G. Arthur Brennan ruled Thursday.

Brennan also said Henson, 48, will be on probation for eight years once he is released, is barred from contacting the two women victims while he’s on probation, can’t possess firearms and must get psychological and substance abuse counseling.

According to prosecutors in the York County District Attorney’s office, Kimberly Henson had obtained a protection order against her husband and it was served on Donald Henson on Oct. 16, 2012.

Henson went to his house in Saco, gathered a few weapons and then went searching for his wife at her mother’s house in Dayton. Once there, he threatened to shoot Kimberly Henson and her mother, Barbara Curran, but they were able to flee when police arrived.

Donald Henson then set fire to the house and a pickup truck and retreated to an outbuilding where he stayed for three hours before surrendering to police. The house burned to the ground because firefighters couldn’t respond with the standoff ongoing.

Henson entered a so-called Alford plea to the charges, meaning he maintained his innocence but acknowledged that a jury could have found him guilty based on the evidence.

Staff Writer Edward D. Murphy can be contacted at 791-6465 or at:emurphy@pressherald.com


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