62-year-old Elmer Mault originally appeared in court on Monday to withdrawal his guilty plea made in September. However, he decided to keep it and move forward with sentencing. He was sentenced to serve up to 18 months in prison on the charges of arson and breaking and entering.
The Lima Police say he broke into NOLO Pallets Warehouse to steal items on Memorial Day. On his last trip in the building, Mault says someone told him to cover his tracks with a fire. Police say they have still images from a security camera of Mault.
The fire destroyed the building, costing the owner $70,000 in uninsured product. Restitution of damages has not been ordered. Upon completion of his prison sentence, Mault will have to register as an arson offender.
