EPHRATA - Two women conspired to set fire to a broken vehicle in an attempt to collect money from an insurance company.

Jennifer S. Devoreaux, 23, Moses Lake, pleaded guilty to reckless burning in the first degree, according to Grant County Superior Court records.

Klorissa A. K. Bennett, 37, Moses Lake, pleaded guilty to arson in the second degree and theft in the first degree.

Devoreaux was originally charged with arson in the second degree, but the charge was lessened as part of the plea agreement, according to court records.

She had no previous convictions, and faced a sentencing range of zero to 90 days in jail, according to court records.

Grant County Superior Court Judge John Antosz followed the prosecutor's recommendation, sentencing Devoreaux to 40 days in jail with 30 days converted to 240 hours of community service.

"Devoreaux had no criminal history, and was completely forthright with the investigators. She also agreed to testify against Bennett as part of her plea agreement, and was told if she did so, her time would be converted," Prosecutor Angus Lee stated. "She didn't need to as Bennett pled, but as she had been willing to testify, and as that was probably instrumental in Bennett's decision, we honored the conversion."

Bennett has yet to be sentenced, and faces a sentencing range of six months to a year in jail.

Prosecutors and defense attorneys plan to recommend she be sentenced to six months with 30 days converted to community service, according to court records.

"Bennett had no prior criminal history and pleaded as law enforcement wanted ... and they were in agreement with her sentence," Lee stated.

Grant County Fire District 5 firefighters responded to a vehicle fire on Baseline Road in November 2009, according to a Grant County sheriff's report. When investigators examined the vehicle, they found a car battery with a handtruck laying on top of it, wrapped in wires. The investigators eliminated it as the cause of the fire.

Bennett's niece told an insurance investigator, Bennett planned to "blow up" the car, since the vehicle wasn't working, according to the police report. Bennett put the battery and hand truck in the vehicle to try to start the fire, when it didn't work she arranged to have Devoreaux set the fire while she was out.

Devoreaux told police Bennett threatened to raise her rent if she didn't go along with the plan, according to the police report. Devoreaux set the fire by throwing lit notebook paper into the vehicle, while Bennett and her niece were at Walmart.