A Lorain woman has been sentenced to prison after pleading guilty to multiple arson charges connected to a 2024 house fire.
Amber Bodnar-Kurta was sentenced on March 16, 2026, in Lorain County Court of Common Pleas. The case was heard by Judge Melissa Kobasher.
According to court records, Bodnar-Kurta pleaded guilty to three counts of aggravated arson. One of the charges was a first-degree felony, while the other two were second-degree felonies. As part of the sentencing, the two second-degree felony counts were merged into the first-degree felony charge.
The court sentenced Bodnar-Kurta to 5 to 7.5 years in prison. She was also given credit for 19 days already served.
The charges stem from a fire that happened on October 20, 2024, on Brownell Avenue in Lorain. Investigators determined the fire was intentionally set. The fire destroyed Bodnar-Kurta’s home and also damaged or destroyed a neighboring home.
No injuries were reported as a result of the fire.
As part of the sentence, the court ordered Bodnar-Kurta to pay restitution to a victim. Court documents show the total restitution amount is listed at $29,000.
The court also determined that a prison sentence was appropriate and that community control, such as probation, was not suitable in this case.
After serving her prison sentence, Bodnar-Kurta will be placed on mandatory post-release control for a period of 2 to 5 years.
Court records also show that she will be required to register as an arson offender. This requires her to provide personal information, including her address and other identifying details, to law enforcement.
She has been ordered to serve her sentence through the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction and will be housed at the Ohio Reformatory for Women in Marysville.