A 21-year-old former Westbrook firefighter pled guilty to four counts of arson Friday in connection with fires in Westbrook, Gorham, Portland and Saco.

Under the terms of an agreement reached with the District Attorney’s office, Phillip Caron was sentenced to four years in the state correctional facility in Windham. As part of the agreement, the state also agreed to dismiss charges of burglary and violation of conditions of release that were also pending against Caron.

Caron’s attorney, Jon Gale of Portland, said once Caron is released, he would be on probation for an additional 12 years. The agreement also includes a 12-year suspended sentence, which could be invoked if Caron violates the terms of his probation after his release. In addition, Caron will be required to undergo counseling after his release.

“It’s a fair deal,” Gale said.

Caron, of Myrtle Street, who turned 21 on the day of his plea and sentencing, is the son of Gary Caron, the deputy chief of the Westbrook call company. Gary Caron and his wife, Kim, issued a written statement through Gale’s office, directing all further inquiries to Gale.

In the statement, Caron’s parent’s said they thought the district attorney’s office and the courts treated their son properly. “As parents, we recognize that Phil must be held responsible for his actions,” said Kim and Gary Caron. “The sentence imposed by the court is a fair and just result. It is our hope that we can all move forward from today.”

Caron pled guilty to setting a fire on Hicks Street in Portland last November, a fire that destroyed a Gorham barn last year, a fire that damaged an East Bridge Street home and a fire that destroyed a barn at the Sweetser School in Saco. No one was injured in any of the four fires.

The four fires caused a total of $1 million to $1.5 million in damage, Gale said. He added that, under the terms of the plea agreement, Caron would not be forced to pay restitution.

Portland police found Caron at the scene of the fire in a garage adjacent to a Hicks Street residence when they arrived at the scene at approximately 3:30 a.m. the morning of the fire. Caron told police at the time that he heard about the fire on the radio in his vehicle about four miles away from the scene. Police said Caron’s explanation seemed to be inconsistent with the facts of the case because the first call went out over the radio as the first fire engines arrived at the scene, which was about the same time Caron arrived.

While nobody was injured in the Mosher blaze and firefighters were able to save the adjoining home, the fire did destroy the barn, which was built in 1810. The barn was part of the Long View Farm, which has owned by six generations of Moshers, dating back to the 1770s. The fire also caused about $300,000 in damage to equipment and the adjacent home.

The fire in Westbrook occurred on Aug. 16 on a home under construction on East Bridge Street. That fire started near the electrical panel in the basement of the home and was mainly confined to the front wall of the house.

In regard to the Saco fire, Caron told police he had been in the barn at the time of the fire and that a lit cigarette ignited some hay and wood shavings stored in the barn.

Caron has had a history of psychological problems since an early age. Gale said Caron began setting fires when he was around 10 years old. He also has a record of juvenile convictions, including one for criminal mischief in which he was convicted of defacing a Portland cemetery as a teenager, Gale said.

Caron’s parents said they have tried over the years to help their son overcome his problems. “Our son has struggled with a terrible combination of psychological issues since he was a young child,” they said. “He has received help and services, though at times those services were not effective or not sufficient to help Phil with his problem. We have worked for many years with a variety of treatment providers to help our son.”

Caron worked as a call firefighter in Westbrook for about 18 months prior to his arrest. Fire Chief Gary Littlefield said he knew Caron had some past psychological problems, but there was nothing in his past that he thought would prevent him from working as a firefighter. “There was no inclination at all that he set fires,” said Littlefield.

While he was a call firefighter, Caron had no problems with discipline, said Littlefield. “As far as I know, he didn’t give anyone any trouble,” said Littlefield.

The Carons said they were forthcoming about their son’s past, especially when it came to him working with the fire department. “We will always support our son and will help him in any way we can,” they said. “That support, however, has never meant hiding Phillip’s past from anyone. We have always acknowledged Phil’s problems, and we fully disclosed Phil’s troubled past to his employer before he began working last year as a call fireman.”

Littlefield said the fire department is very careful when it comes to doing background checks on prospective employees, and in Caron’s case, because his convictions came when he was a juvenile, they would not show up as part of a background check.

The department has reviewed its screening process, said Littlefield, and has taken steps to tighten it up. Littlefield said the department did not make major changes to its screening process, but has now developed a checklist that must be followed in each case to make sure the proper checks are performed for each applicant. In addition, Littlefield said he personally signs off on each new hire to ensure that there are no problems.

“We can assure everybody that we are checking everything,” he said.

For their part, the Carons said they hoped once their son is released, he would be able to get the help he needs to resume his life. “Phil is very sorry for what he has done, for the lives he has affected,” they said. “He is paying a price for it. We maintain hope that upon his release, he will be able to get the treatment he needs. We will always support our son and will help him in any way we can, as we always have.”