Former Laurel police chief David Crawford pleads guilty to setting 13 fires over nine years, including one while family was inside, and faces up to 80 years in prison.

David Michael Crawford, former Laurel police chief, pleaded guilty to multiple arson charges in Montgomery County, admitting to setting at least 13 fires over nine years, including one while his pregnant daughter-in-law and children were inside. Prosecutors said he targeted family members, former officials, and others due to personal disputes, using gasoline and leveraging his law enforcement knowledge to evade detection. Digital evidence linked him to the fires, and surveillance showed a consistent pattern. He already serves a life sentence in Howard County and now faces up to 80 years in prison, to be served concurrently.