Mark C. Anderson, a 61-year-old Sausalito man accused of setting fire to over $200 million worth of fine wines in 2005, has changed his not-guilty plea to "guilty," as part of a plea bargain Nov. 16 in federal court. Former city parks commissioner, newspaper columnist and UC Berkeley graduate Anderson had been storing about six million bottles at the Wines Central warehouse on Vallejo's Mare Island for collectors and Napa vintners before the Oct. 5, 2005 fire, which investigators concluded had started in Anderson's space. Had Anderson not altered his plea and been convicted at his Nov. 17 trial, he might've faced life in prison on 19 criminal counts, including arson, mail fraud and tax evasion. Now, as a result of the plea bargain, his sentence could be limited to 15 years and eight months in prison.

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