How one week, and Prop. 36, could have affected the prison time for Bidwell Mansion arsonist
What a difference a week makes.
A man’s 11-year prison sentence for intentionally setting fire to the historic Bidwell Mansion in Chico could have more than doubled had he committed the crime a week later, due to a section of Proposition 36, a tough-on-crime ballot measure passed in November.
Based on the staggering loss of Bidwell Mansion — estimated at more than $37 million in damage — Kevin Alexander Carlson, 30, could have been subject to an additional 15 years in prison, said Butte County District Attorney Mike Ramsey, raising his total sentence to 26 years.
Carlson started the fire in the early morning hours of Dec. 11. The increased penalty, which voters decisively passed as part of the ballot measure, went into effect Dec. 18.
“Too little,” Ramsey said of the 11-year maximum sentence. “And generally the community thought it was too little too. When you have such a massive loss such as this, it just feels too little for the loss that was engendered by this guy’s idiocy.”
Get the Yuba-Sutter Weekly newsletter in your inbox
Available now: Sign up here to receive news and other happenings reported from Sutter County, with stories that matter to readers north of Sacramento. Email tips to jgoodrick@sacbee.com.
In addition to prison time, Carlson was ordered Wednesday to pay $37.4 million in restitution at a 10% annual interest rate, equating to about $10,000 of interest per day. In practical terms, half of any wages Carlson earns in prison would go toward paying that sum, Ramsey said, and it would follow him once released.
Prop. 36’s penalties
Prop. 36, which notably toughened some theft and drug charges, mostly for repeat offenders, also increased sentences for property damage caused while committing or attempting to commit a felony.
That section of the law incrementally adds time to a prison sentence depending on the amount of damage, starting at one extra year for $50,000 of damage and up to four years for more than $3 million, plus an extra year for every $3 million beyond that.
“The idea was that when someone does a crime such as this, that is so massive that the ordinary sentencing rules don’t apply, that we have something that would be appropriate punishment,” Ramsey said.
Carlson was sentenced by Butte County Superior Judge Corie J. Caraway, who imposed the 11-year maximum — six years for felony arson and five more for use of an accelerant. The sentence surpassed an eight-year term recommended in Carlson’s probation report.
Other arson cases
At nearly 150 years old, Bidwell Mansion has marked historic and cultural importance for Chico with ties to the community’s credited founders: John and Annie Bidwell. The estate, at the edge of Chico State’s campus, served as a cultural touchstone and educational space for generations of Chico residents, but not without controversy.
Carlson, in a written defense statement, admitted to being motivated in part by what amounted to societal inequalities, particularly the disparity between a perceived lack of concern for homeless community members while extensive effort went into restoring the mansion.
Proponents billed Prop. 36 as a crackdown on repeat theft and drug offenders, instating greater penalties for certain crimes and a “treatment-mandated felony” for third and subsequent offenses. Its roll-out has varied county-to-county, according to prior Bee reporting, underlined by a lack of funding for the mandated treatment programs.
The added sentencing enhancement from Prop. 36 may have applied to two more Butte County arson cases from last year, Ramsey said, each of which caused millions of dollars in damage.
One case involves a defendant charged with starting the sprawling Park Fire in July. The other defendant has been charged with causing the Thompson Fire, which claimed 13 homes in Oroville and displaced more than 10,000 people.
This story was originally published March 9, 2025 at 5:00 AM.
