Justin Arens — one of two defendants charged with setting fire to the former Pinball Pete’s building on South University Avenue last October — moved to set a trial date to lessen his sentence that was determined yesterday at the Washtenaw County Circuit Court.

Arens was arrested in December in connection with the fire that charred the abandoned building on Oct. 24. The fire also caused slight damage to neighboring Momo Tea and the University Towers apartment complex.

Before yesterday’s sentencing, Arens made a final statement to the courtroom to ask forgiveness for his actions.

“I want to apologize to everybody here for wasting their time, “ Arens said. “What I did was stupid.”

Arens’ lawyer, Raymond Mullins, also spoke on Arens’ behalf, saying Arens has demonstrated a desire to work on his drug and alcohol problems which may have been related to the offense and to his past convictions of home invasion, retail fraud and a juvenile conviction of assault with intention to commit criminal sexual conduct.

“I’m hoping and am optimistic that he will get control of his drinking and his drug problems,” Mullins said.

Following the statements, the presiding judge Melinda Morris sentenced Arens to a minimum of 19 months to a maximum of 10 years in a Washtenaw County Department of Corrections facility.

Mullins then spoke with Arens for a few minutes before Arens made the decision to set a trial date to lessen his sentence.

After the sentencing, Judge Morris also established that restitution for the building must be set within 90 days. Morris said if an agreement isn’t reached on the restitution amount within 90 days, a hearing will be scheduled.

During Aren's preliminary exam in December, the prosecutor in the case, Karen Field reduced the charge against Arens from arson of personal property to arson of real property exceeding $20,000, arguing that because the building was abandoned at the time of the fire it did not constitute personal property.

Field also said Arens — who authorities believe was homeless at the time of the fire — frequently slept in the building and also knew others who slept there but ignored the potential hazard to others when he set the fire.

At the same appearance in December, Mullins requested Arens’ bond at the time be lowered from $100,000, noting that his mother would be willing to post a lower bond and take him to her home.

Field objected based on Arens’ past criminal history and Judge J. Simpson denied Mullins's request, saying Arens could be “detrimental to the safety of the community.”

Arens’ co-defendant, Ian Mackenzie, will be pleading not guilty during his trial slated to be held on May 10 before Judge Morris. Arens’ trial date is scheduled for June 21 at 8:30 a.m.