East Quogue Woman Sentenced to 18 Years in Prison for Attempted Arson, Robbery

An East Quogue woman who was convicted of arson and attempted robbery last month was sentenced by a judge to 18 years in prison this week.

Amanda Burnside, 42, was convicted by a jury on January 27 of three felonies, one count of arson in the second degree and two counts of attempted arson in the second degree.

In November 2023, Burnside had attempted three times to set fire to separate homes in Hampton Bays. She failed to start fires at the first two houses after being unable to get a lighter to work. At one of the homes, she asked a person who came outside and confronted her if she could borrow a lighter.

But at the third house, she poured gasoline on a bench on the home’s front porch and managed to ignite it. There were four people in the house at the time, who called police. The fire was extinguished, causing only minor damage, and Burnside was arrested.

The following day, just hours after being released from police custody after her arraignment, Burnside walked into a Dollar Tree store in Hampton Bays, picked up a knife and threatened a clerk with it, demanding money. She was still standing at the checkout counter when police arrived and again placed her under arrest.

On Tuesday, Burnside pleaded guilty to attempted robbery in the first degree, a felony, before being sentenced by acting Justice Steven Pilewski to 18 years for the arson convictions and a concurrent sentence of 10 years for the attempted robbery.

“This defendant’s crime spree is over,” Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond Tierney said in a statement following the sentencing.

Burnside, who has been held at the Suffolk County Jail since her arrest, will now be transferred to the New York State correctional system.