A Lane County judge Thursday, Oct. 15, ordered two years of bench probation for a 40-year-old man convicted of starting a fire near West 11th Avenue and Beltline Road that damaged grass and shrubbery on Eugene Water & Electric Board property.

Michael Eric Tavernier pleaded guilty Sept. 30 to reckless burning and failing to register as a sex offender, both misdemeanors. Tavernier must also pay $709.79 in restitution for damage caused by the Aug. 18 fire.

At the time of the fire, Tavernier was on post-prison supervision after pleading guilty in March 2025 to first-degree arson in connection with a fire at a Target store site adjacent to the EWEB fire location.

“To be frank, the state did not have evidence to prove an arson charge in this case, so reckless burning was appropriate,” Deputy District Attorney Oscar Duyck said Thursday.

In Oregon law, arson refers to setting a fire to intentionally cause damage, while reckless burning refers to reckless acts resulting in damage. 

Witnesses called 911 after seeing a man start the small grass fire on the EWEB property, with photo evidence used by police and another person to identify Tavernier, Duyck said.

A 30-day jail sentence ordered by Lane County Circuit Judge Jessica May is considered served because of time Tavernier has spent in jail, but he’s been sanctioned with 90 days imprisonment for violating terms of his probation in the arson case, said Eliyana Tadano, Tavernier’s court appointed attorney. 

Tavernier in 2018 was convicted of third-degree rape. He is not among those listed in a sex offender registry of those considered most likely to reoffend.

The “biggest barrier” for Tavernier has been finding housing, Tadano said, with efforts ongoing to help him find a place to live when he gets out of jail near the end of November.

“I should have been on the right track already, and I just want to apologize to you,” Tavernier said to the judge.