Dallas Fire Captain,Tarrant County Prosecutor Honored

Two men whose work has led to the arrests and convictions of dozens of arsonists in the Dallas Fort Worth area have been honored in award ceremonies taking place at the 57th Annual Fire and Arson Investigators Seminar in Austin.

The awards were presented by members of A Texas Advisory Council on Arson (ATAC) who work closely with the State Fire Marshal’s Office and fund the state Arson Hotline.

Tarrant County Assistant Criminal District Attorney Miles Brissette received ATAC’s Arson Prosecution Award.

Brissette has handled all of Tarrant County’s arson cases since 2002. In 2009, Brissette prosecuted an arson/murder trial which occurred in Kennedale. The jury found John Hummel guilty in the death of his wife, daughter and father-in-law. ummel was convicted of capital murder and sentenced to death.

Burleson Fire Marshal Stacy Singleton said Brissette works hard to make sure any case he handles is set and ready for trial.

“Brissette is very straight forward and tells us the way things need to be because he wants to be successful in our fight against arson,” Singleton said. “His professional oversight helps us do our job better.”

Dallas Fire and Rescue Captain Marcus “Sam” Stephenson received ATAC’s Law Enforcement Award.

Last year, Capt. Stephenson was instrumental in filing more than 40 arson/owner give-up cases in Dallas County. Fourteen of the cases resulted in guilty pleas and nearly $20,000 in fines. At least four of the arsonists wound up in prison.

Dallas County Assistant District Attorney Kyson Johnson said Stephenson’s dedication, professionalism and tireless efforts have led to many successful prosecutions.

ATAC funds the state Arson Hotline which is answered seven days a week, 24-hours a day and every caller remains anonymous. Calls that lead to legitimate arrests may result in a reward of up to $1,000. The Arson Hotline number is 1-877-4-FIRE-45 (1-877-434-7345).

Source: The Insurance Council of Texas (ICT)