Whitefish man sentenced in felony arson case

A 35-year-old Whitefish man has been sentenced to five years in the Department of Corrections for trying to burn down his ex-girlfriend’s home in 2013.

James Wallace Langley was sentenced Thursday in Flathead District Court. Judge Robert B. Allison handed down the ruling.

Langley had pleaded no contest to the felony arson charge in January with a plea agreement calling for a six-year deferred sentence.

Langley later tried to have the no-contest plea dismissed, claiming that Allison had an unfair bias against suspected arsonists. Allison had indicated that he wouldn’t follow the deferred sentencing recommendation.

Prosecutor Alison Howard argued that Langley was informed that the judge isn’t bound by the recommendation.

According to court documents, the Whitefish Fire Department responded to a Highland Drive home in the early morning hours of Oct. 8, 2013, after the homeowner, Randy Watkins, woke up and saw a flash outside his window. Upon further investigation, he found his siding and a gas can in his yard both on fire.

A DNA swab taken from the gas can matched Langley.

Langley is a former recreation manager for the city of Whitefish and former coach of the Glacier Twins baseball team.