Day sentenced in Middleport fire case
Keith Day, left, appeared with his counsel, Karen Justice, for sentencing in the Meigs County Court of Common Pleas. Photo by Carrie Gloeckner.
POMEROY, Ohio – Keith Day has been sentenced in the Middleport, Ohio fire case of 2016.
Nearly a year after the devastating fire, the person convicted of causing the fire has been sentenced. On May 16, 2016, multiple buildings were engulfed in the Middleport seven alarm fire. Keith R. Day, 32, of Middleport, Ohio appeared in the Meigs County Court of Common Pleas for sentencing on two counts of arson. Day previously entered a guilty plea to two amended counts of Arson, both felonies of the fourth degree. Day entered the guilty plea to the two counts on April 10, 2017.
Judge I. Carson Crow sentenced Day to 18 months of prison on each count of arson, the maximum allowed under the law. The prison term is to run consecutively for a total of 36 months in prison. Additionally, he has a lifetime firearm disability, must register with the Ohio Arson Registry, pay the costs of prosecution and restitution to the victims. The total amount of restitution for the victims was $352,747.99. Of the $353,747.99, the breakdown of restitution is: $600 was for Debbie Leach; $17,904.64 for Frontier; $100,000 for John Marc Fultz; and $234,243.35 for York Ingels, Ingels Carpeting. Defense counsel Karen Justice pointed out that Day is indigent.
When given the opportunity to speak on his own behalf Day only said that he was sorry he had “taken up everybody’s time.”
The fire set by Day resulted in a seven alarm fire with multiple buildings being destroyed or damaged. Agencies assisting in the investigation with the Middleport Police Department were the Meigs County Sheriff’s Office, Pomeroy Police Department, Middleport Fire Department, Pomeroy Fire Department, Rutland Fire Department, Syracuse Fire Department, Racine Fire Department, Mason Fire Department, and the New Haven Fire Department.
At the time, Middleport Police Chief Bruce Swift stated that due to the hard work of all the fire departments involved, further property damage was prevented in the downtown area.
Day was remanded to the custody of the Meigs County Sheriff’s Office to begin serving his 36 month prison term.
