Man who set fire that killed Binghamton firefighter receives 7-year prison sentence

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BINGHAMTON, NY (607NewsNow) -A man who set a fire that killed a Binghamton Firefighter is headed to prison.

On April 6, 36-year-old Patrick Shea was sentenced to 7 years behind bars for arson and manslaughter charges.

Shea, originally charged with second-degree murder, lit the fire that claimed the life of John “JR” Gaudet in February 2025. In a January 2026 guilty plea, Shea, who was homeless at the time, admitted to setting the first fire inside a vacant building to keep warm.

Gaudet was an 11-year veteran of the Binghamton Fire Department and father of three. His name now appears on the New York State Fallen Firefighters Memorial, and a park in Binghamton was recently named in his honor.

According to Fox 40, Shea will also be subject to a five-year term of post-release supervision.

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