Firefighter sentenced in Chester Hill arson
An area firefighter pleaded guilty Tuesday for his part in starting a fire in Chester Hill.
Kenneth Moore, 21, of Lanse, is one of three Philipsburg firefighters charged with setting the fire on Oct. 9, 2015, at 4 a.m. on Ida Street in Chester Hill.
Moore pleaded guilty Tuesday to criminal conspiracy/burglary, criminal conspiracy/arson, criminal conspiracy/possession of explosives, criminal conspiracy/criminal mischief and criminal conspiracy/failure to control before President Judge Fredric J. Ammerman. Ammerman sentenced him to 12 months less two days to two years less one day in jail as well as five years’ probation.
Moore, who recently had a liver transplant, was given a delayed commitment to allow him to attend doctor’s appointments and to determine the status of his health. Ammerman stated that Moore might not be a candidate for the county jail and may have to serve his time on house arrest. If he should violate his probation, Ammerman said he would have no choice but to send him to state prison.
In September the two others involved in this case, Hunter Thomas Harris, 22, of Philipsburg, and Samuel Wilbur Connor V, 20, of Howard, pleaded guilty to burglary, arson, possession of explosives, failure to control and four counts of criminal conspiracy and received the same sentence as Moore. They must pay restitution of more than $52,900.
It was noted that the amount of restitution has been questioned by the defendants’ attorneys. A hearing to discuss this may be scheduled at another time.
According to the affidavit of probable cause, the chief of the Chester Hill Fire Department asked police to investigate a fire in a two story home owned by Patrick and James Coval of Philipsburg located at 309 Ida Street.
This investigation revealed that the fire started inside a wood frame shed addition attached to the back of the home. The fire spread up the exterior rear of the home and into the residence. The home was unoccupied at the time of the fire.
It was determined the cause of the fire was a direct flame deliberately used on combustible materials within the shed.
Harris, Connor and Moore were interviewed regarding the fire on Oct. 26. The three men provided independent statements after receiving their Miranda warnings. Their confessions were consistent with each other and with the damage and evidence at the scene.
They explained they were at the Hope Fire Station in Philipsburg in the early morning hours of Oct. 9 when they discussed setting a fire in a vacant home Moore had previously located. They thought they could respond there with their fire company that often provides aid to the Chester Hill Fire Department.
They gathered hay, a cardboard toilet paper roll, a paper wrapper and a paper plate to use as a fuel package for ignition. Moore drove to the area and dropped off Harris and Connor. Harris placed the homemade fuel package inside an opening of the wood frame shed and he used a lighter to ignite it. Harris and Connor then met back with Moore in the parking lot of Highway Pizza. They returned to the fire station in Philipsburg to await dispatch.
Approximately 15 minutes later, the fire company was dispatched by Centre County 911 for a structure fire in Chester Hill. The three men then responded back to the scene with the fire company where they helped put out the fire.
This story was originally published October 4, 2016 at 9:56 PM with the headline "Firefighter sentenced in Chester Hill arson."