A plea deal was reached Thursday morning in the case of a man who used gasoline to set fire to the front porch of a Moores Drive home in June.
Fifty-three-year-old Jerome Catlett of Hopkinsville entered an Alford plea to one count of first-degree arson and nine-counts of first-degree wanton endangerment, with the deal coming with a 20-year sentence.
After going over a series of questions with Catlett, Judge John Atkins accepted the plea.
Catlett must spend at least 17 years in prison before becoming eligible for parole and Commonwealth’s Attorney Rick Boling believes justice has been served.
Boling notes the crime was captured on video surveillance and Catlett could have faced a life sentence, had he gone to trial.
An Alford plea is when a defendant does not admit guilt, but admits there would be enough evidence to convict him at trial.
Formal sentencing is set for August 28th.