A Hopkinsville man who reached a plea agreement to setting fire to an apartment complex last year was sentenced in Christian Circuit Court Wednesday morning.
Jerome Catlett entered an Alford Plea to one count of first-degree arson and nine counts of first-degree wanton endangerment, with a recommended sentence of 20-years. An Alford plea is a guilty plea in criminal court, whereby a defendant in a criminal case does not admit to the criminal act and asserts innocence.
Catlett’s charges stem from May 31, 2018 when police reported he set a fire at the Moores Court Apartments on Moores Drive. There were no injuries reported.
Prior to Judge Atkins imposing the sentence, Catlett stated he had and drinking problem and he had apologized to the people in the apartment complex the day he set the fire.
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Catlett was then formally sentenced.
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Judge Atkins noted that arson in the first degree is a violent offense and requires Catlett to serve 85 percent of his sentence before he is eligible for parole. Catlett was then handcuffed and taken into custody.
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