DARKE COUNTY — It is a 10-year prison sentence for a series of arson fires in the county, including the complete loss of the swine barn at the Darke County Fairgrounds in Oct. 2018.
Randy R. Mogle, 31, of Greenville, was sentenced via video conference in Darke County Common Pleas Court on Tuesday. Also present were his attorneys, Andrew Fernandez and Paul Wagner, along with Assistant Prosecutor James Bennett, Detective Morrisa Reed with the Greenville Police Department, Detective Rachael Prickett with the Darke County Sheriff’s Office, Assistant Fire Chief Shannon Fritz, and Darke County Fair Manager, Brian Rismiller.
Judge Jonathan P. Hein presided.
It was last July that Mogle, along with a co-defendant, Christopher L. Garland, was indicted for the fairground fire, among other fires dating as far back as June 2014 with the latest arson reported in May 2019.
Mogle faced 203 years in prison for multiple counts of arson, aggravated arson, engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity, and conspiracy to engage in a pattern of corrupt activity. He pled no contest last month, and as part of a plea agreement, the remaining indictments were aggravated arson, for the conduct at the fairgrounds, and engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity, both first-degree felonies.
During sentencing, the defendant provided a brief apology and a mention of his young son before a victim impact statement was submitted by Rismiller, who spoke of the fairground fire that unfolded in late 2018 that affected not only the fair board but fair exhibitors and those who lost items stored in the barn.
“It was a horrific sight,” said Rismiller, noting only four years earlier the cattle barn fire.
“I’m not here to convince the Judge to give a certain sentence,” continued Rismiller. “What I do want to do is make Mr. Mogle aware of the lives he has impacted and changed.”
Rismiller expressed hope that Mogle would think about his actions during his incarceration, “the things you have taken with your cowardly act,” and that the defendant would learn from his mistakes and better himself in the future.
Judge Hein noted Mogle’s previous conduct during a pre-sentence summary report with a criminal history that included blaming co-defendants. In particular, that of co-defendant Garland who was sentenced to ten years in prison last October for his part in the fires.
“Credibility is a significant problem, and your willingness to change […] doesn’t seem to exist,” said Judge Hein.
Mogle was sentenced to ten years on each count, to run concurrently for a total of ten years in the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Corrections with 290 days jail credit, five-years of mandatory post-release supervision, an order to pay $216,699 in restitution, and a lifetime arson registration.
