BANGOR – A volunteer firefighter from Medway pleaded guilty Tuesday to setting a fire that destroyed an abandoned convenience store in that town last fall.

Heidi Carey, 23, of Millinocket entered the arson plea Tuesday morning before Justice Andrew Mead in superior court and was sentenced to six years in prison with all but six months suspended and six years of probation.

She went into custody immediately after the sentencing hearing and will serve her sentence at Penobscot County Jail.

Her husband, 36-year-old James Carey, also is charged with arson in connection with the same Nov. 16 fire and he is awaiting trial.

Carey was represented Tuesday by Bangor attorney Jeffrey Silverstein.

Silverstein acknowledged the reason for setting the fire was money because volunteer firefighters are paid an hourly rate per call.

Silverstein stated in court that his client was easily influenced and has a history of being led astray, which happened in this case. He said she was influenced by another family member as well as her husband to set the fire.

The late-night blaze destroyed the two-story concrete and wood building at the corner of Routes 11 and 157. The structure, which also included apartments, had been vacant for several years. Heidi Carey was among those firefighters who responded to the scene.

The building had been owned by Mannix Oil Co., but had been abandoned to the Internal Revenue Service, which held $340,000 in liens on the property. It was valued at $102,000.

The Careys were charged by the State Fire Marshal’s Office less than 24 hours after the fire.

On Tuesday, Carey tearfully apologized to her family, the town of Medway and to the court.