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James Chapman has pleaded not guilty to setting fire to the Neosho pool house in July.
Chapman, 21, waived a formal arraignment proceeding Monday and filed the not guilty plea. He is represented by assistant public defender Maleia Cheney. A pre-trial conference has been scheduled for Oct. 31 in Newton County Circuit Court.
Chapman is charged with second-degree burglary, second-degree arson and first-degree property damage in connection with a July 30 fire that damaged the Neosho pool house, located beside the public swimming pool on Fairground Road.
Authorities believe that Chapman, with two 16-year-old male accomplices, jimmied the west door of the pool house shortly before 3:30 a.m. on the morning in question, raided the kitchen area of assorted concession items and then set that room on fire. The Missouri Fire Marshal's office has confirmed the fire was intentionally set.
An investigation led police to Chapman’s Neosho home 10 days later, where they found a large quantity of what was purported to be the stolen concession items and Chapman was arrested. The minors are being processed through the county juvenile court system.
The second-degree burglary and arson charges are both Class C felonies that carry maximum jail sentences of seven years and/or $7,000 in fines, upon conviction. The first-degree property damage is a Class D felony, which carries a maximum prison term of four years and/or fines of up to $5,000, upon conviction.
James Chapman has pleaded not guilty to setting fire to the Neosho pool house in July.
Chapman, 21, waived a formal arraignment proceeding Monday and filed the not guilty plea. He is represented by assistant public defender Maleia Cheney. A pre-trial conference has been scheduled for Oct. 31 in Newton County Circuit Court.
Chapman is charged with second-degree burglary, second-degree arson and first-degree property damage in connection with a July 30 fire that damaged the Neosho pool house, located beside the public swimming pool on Fairground Road.
Authorities believe that Chapman, with two 16-year-old male accomplices, jimmied the west door of the pool house shortly before 3:30 a.m. on the morning in question, raided the kitchen area of assorted concession items and then set that room on fire. The Missouri Fire Marshal's office has confirmed the fire was intentionally set.
An investigation led police to Chapman’s Neosho home 10 days later, where they found a large quantity of what was purported to be the stolen concession items and Chapman was arrested. The minors are being processed through the county juvenile court system.
The second-degree burglary and arson charges are both Class C felonies that carry maximum jail sentences of seven years and/or $7,000 in fines, upon conviction. The first-degree property damage is a Class D felony, which carries a maximum prison term of four years and/or fines of up to $5,000, upon conviction.
