BURLINGTON — Three people were arraigned Thursday in federal court in Burlington after a grand jury indicted them last month on charges in a Northfield fire that killed one person last year.
Jonathan Zampieri, 34, of Montpelier, and Howard Hoisington, 32, of Berlin, were charged with arson with death resulting and conspiracy to commit robbery.
After a judge read the charges, Zampieri stood to enter his plea: “Not guilty, sir.”
Hoisington did not appear in court, but his attorney entered a not guilty plea on his behalf.
Federal prosecutors are seeking a penalty of life in prison for the new arson charges.
Tammy Wilder, 46, who was in court Thursday, pleaded not guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit robbery.
All three have been in prison since their arrest last year on charges of conspiracy to commit robbery.
Prosecutors say the three entered the Northfield home of Brittany Burt with the intention of robbing her boyfriend, Efren Serrano, of drugs and money. They allegedly poured gasoline on the pair, an intimidation technique, and lit them on fire.
Burt died on the scene. Serrano was hospitalized with serious burns.
