Chad Tedrow

Chad Tedrow, 22, of Littleton, pleaded guilty Oct. 30 in Wetzel County Circuit Court to count one, first degree arson, of his three-count indictment.

The prison penalty for such a crime ranges from two to 20 years in the West Virginia Penitentiary for Men. However, the state recommended that Tedrow be sentenced to a definite period of five years in prison. Judge Mark A. Karl agreed to this sentence, which includes restitution made to Richard Himelrick, the owner of the hunting cabin that Tedrow set on fire.

Count one of Tedrow’s indictment states that on or about June 13, he allegedly set fire to and burned the dwelling of Richard Himelrick, located in Littleton. During his plea, Tedrow stated that he did in fact break into Himelrick’s hunting cabin and set fire to a mattress.

Prosecuting Attorney Timothy Haught stated the hunting cabin was a one room, part-time dwelling. Tedrow entered the cabin, could not find food, and became angry; thus, he set fire to the mattress. The cabin was burned to the ground.

Haught said Tedrow also stole two revolvers, an Iver Johnson .22 caliber revolver Model 55A and an H&R Arms .22 caliber revolver with an octagon barrel from the cabin and attempted to sell them. These two counts of petit larceny were dismissed, per the terms of the plea agreement.