FORT WORTH (CN) - A Texas arsonist will spend seven years in state prison for throwing a firebomb at the office of state senator and Democratic gubernatorial candidate Wendy Davis.
Cedric Carmond Steele, 42, pleaded guilty to arson Monday in Tarrant County Court.
Prosecutors said Steele was homeless and has a history of mental illness.
Davis made national headlines by filibustering against an anti-abortion law as the Texas Legislature's session expired last year.
Steele admitted igniting a brown paper bag containing six Molotov cocktails against a door at Davis' office near downtown Fort Worth in March 2012.
"A small fire broke out, but an employee grabbed a fire extinguisher and put it out," prosecutors said in a statement Monday. "No one was injured and Davis was not in the building at the time of the incident."
Prosecutors consulted with Davis before accepting the plea agreement, Deputy Chief District Attorney Jack Strickland said.
"Senator Davis was in agreement with the disposition of this case," he said. "I was especially concerned with the gravity of this offense, given the public's justifiable concern with attacks on and threats to public servants in this country."
Davis is facing Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott in November's general election for governor.
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