Pyro potty break at St. Charles dentist office nets 4-year sentence

ST. CHARLESCOUNTY A 33-year-old woman who caused extensive damage to a local dentist's office by setting off the sprinkler system, has been sentenced to four years in prison.

Melissa Reann Frederick was a first-time patient in October 2013 at Streets of St. Charles Dental, at 1520 South Fifth Street, prosecutors say. After arriving, she asked to use the bathroom.

A short time later the sprinkler system was activated and caused more than $10,000 in damage to the drywall, carpet and electronic system in the office, according to court documents.

Frederick, of the 400 block of San Juan Drive, told police she accidentally lit a napkin on fire while she was trying to light the end of her eye pencil. She said when she dropped the napkin in the sink, it activated the system.

However, a construction contractor told police that Frederick's version of the events was not plausible. He said the sprinkler head is heat activated, and the temperature inside of the bathroom has to reach 155 degrees before the system goes off.

A more likely scenario was that Frederick climbed on the sink and held a lighter to the sprinkler head, court documents say.

Frederick's motive for the action was unclear.

At a hearing last week, Frederick pleaded no contest to a charge of felony property damage. Under that arrangement, she did not admit guilt but conceded the prosecution had enough evidence to secure a conviction.

Her sentence was handed down by Circuit Judge Daniel Pelikan.

Susan Weich is a reporter at the Post-Dispatch. Follow her on TwitterorFacebook.

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Pyro potty break at St. Charles dentist office nets 4-year sentence