A city woman will spend a year on probation for setting a small fire at an East Pearl Street apartment complex.

Cheryl J. Unverzagt, 50, pleaded guilty to reckless endangerment and was sentenced Thursday by Butler County Judge Timothy McCune.

Court records say Unverzagt admitted to drinking heavily on May 15. When firefighters responded to an alarm at her 16-unit apartment complex, they discovered smoke coming from Unverzagt’s third story home.

Court records say officials found three small fires around the electric stove in the kitchen. But Unverzagt told police she was unaware of a fire in her home and asked them to shut off the fire alarm.

The fires were quickly extinguished, and the Unverzagt’s attorney Bobbette Roper said her client already has paid restitution to the owner of the damaged stove.

In addition to the probation, Unverzagt was ordered to pay a $50 fine.