Savannah Standard

A Chatham County man has been sentenced to five years in federal prison after pleading guilty to setting a fire in a restaurant’s outdoor trash container.

Joshua Daryl McGregor, 34, of Savannah, received a 60-month prison sentence following his guilty plea to arson, according to Jill E. Steinberg, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. U.S. District Court Judge Lisa Godbey Wood also ordered McGregor to pay restitution for property lost in the fire and serve three years of supervised release upon completing his prison term.

There is no parole in the federal system.

“Intentionally setting a fire in an effort to shut down or damage someone else’s property is inexcusable,” said U.S. Attorney Steinberg. “Joshua McGregor will have substantial time to ponder his post-prison employment options.”

Court documents and testimony revealed that McGregor was an employee at the McDonald’s located at 2701 Montgomery Ave. in Savannah. In April 2023, frustrated by the restaurant's busyness, he ignited a piece of cardboard and threw it into the dumpster filled with flammable materials, ensuring the fire took hold before returning inside.

The resulting blaze forced customers in the drive-through lane to back out of the parking lot and led to a temporary closure while the Savannah Fire Department extinguished it. Surveillance video identified McGregor as starting the fire, which he recorded on his cell phone. He was subsequently arrested by Savannah Police Department investigators and pled guilty to arson in May.

“Arson is an extremely violent crime that not only destroys property but also places firefighters, first responders and the general public at great risk,” said Beau Kolodka, Assistant Special Agent in Charge for the ATF Atlanta Field Division. “The ATF, along with Savannah Fire’s Arson Unit and our other law enforcement partners, are committed to ensuring that our communities are safe and that those who commit these dangerous acts are held accountable.”

Fred Anderson, chief investigator for the Savannah Fire Arson Unit, emphasized their collaborative efforts: “Savannah Fire’s Arson Unit greatly appreciates our continued ability to work with our local and federal partners to successfully prosecute arson that affects interstate commerce in our jurisdiction.” He added that these partnerships help make communities safer and reduce instances of arson throughout the city.

The case was investigated by the Savannah Fire Department, Savannah Police Department, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF). It was prosecuted by Southern District of Georgia Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Makeia R. Jonese.