OAKLAND, Calif. (KRON) – Some of the family members of the 36 young people who died in the Ghost Ship Warehouse fire are still reeling from the sentencing of Derick Almena.

Under a plea deal, he received a 12 year sentence but will only serve a fraction of that at his home instead of in prison.

“It’s upsetting when you think about it now, what he has one and a half years to do and one and a half years with an ankle bracelet at home on three years probation. I think he should be behind bars,” the mother of Nicole Siegrist said. 

Nicole Siegrist was an Oakland musician who had gone to the Ghost Ship Warehouse the night of the fire to support another band and dance with her friends.  

Instead, Nicole, her bandmate and roommate died in the inferno, along with 33 others.

“All those kids were such great kids, artists, musicians, filmmakers, photographers that all passed away and a terrible fire, due to the negligence of Derick Almena,” the mother said.

A previous trial resulted in an acquittal for Almena’s then co-defendant Max Harris and a mistrial for the master tenant.

This time around, a deal was struck that Almena would get a 12-year sentence for pleading guilty to 36 counts of involuntary manslaughter.

With credit for the three and half years he’s already served in jail and good behavior, he’ll only get another year and a half at home with his family under house arrest because of the pandemic, followed by three years of probation.

The pandemic was also one of the reasons the prosecutor gave the judge for why she should accept the plea deal. Legal analyst Steven Clark says this is not the only trial being affected by coronavirus.

“That’s why you’re seeing any bargain recommendations that may be lower than they have been in the past because of the logistical difficulties of putting on a case in the era of a pandemic want to come to court witnesses are very concerned about having to come to court and things are taking two to three times as long,” Clark said.

Nicole’s mother says she did not want to see a second trial which could have ended in another mistrial and while she would like to have seen a stiffer sentence for Almena, she believes he is finally taking responsibility.

“He’s got to live with us the rest of his life,” Nicole’s mother said.