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Arson of WPD officer's home leads May's trial calendar A jury has found a Washington man not guilty of setting fire to the home of a Washington police investigator for money last year. In a jury trial last week, James Mahoney of Rutledge Street in Baltimore was found not guilty of arson in the first degree in a fire set at the home of Washington Police investigator Lt. Joe Nelson. Mahoney was convicted on a charge of making false statements, for lying to GBI agents about his reporting the fire to 911. On that charge, Judge Roger W. Dunaway Jr. sentenced him to the maximum of five years in prison based on Georgia's Recidivist Statute, due to Mahoney's numerous felony and misdemeanor convictions. The jury found Mahoney not guilty, however, in the March 2006 fire that did several thousand dollars in damage to the roof, side, and rear deck of Nelson's home. Mahoney had aroused suspicion when he reported the fire from Wills Memorial Hospital, nearly a mile away, giving a false name to the 911 dispatcher. Video surveillance showed Mahoney in the hospital, and his voice was recognized by the victim. When Georgia Bureau of Investigation Special Agent Tony Williamson questioned Mahoney on the 911 call, he denied that he made it, although he ultimately confessed to reporting the fire. State Fire Marshal's Investigator Mickey Hunt testified the fire was purposely set, using gasoline applied to the roof and deck of the Nelson home while Nelson was at work and his two children at school. Nelson, as the city of Washington's leading drug investigator, testified that he felt the arson was possibly retribution from a convicted drug dealer, Riley Burns, known as Black Boo, whose home Nelson and other officers had searched just weeks prior to the fire. The state crime lab was unable to detect gas on Mahoney's clothes, however, and the prosecution was unable to show to the jury's satisfaction that Mahoney had, in fact, committed the arson. Mahoney had been in jail on another sentence, and Judge Dunaway made the 5-year sentence consecutive to the sentence he is now serving. Several other cases were tried during the May felony calendar: Michael Jackson was found guilty in a jury trial of aggravated assault in the April 2006 stabbing of Calvinshae Acree. Judge Dunaway sentenced him to 20 years confinement under the Georgia Recidivist Statute. Terry J. Campbell pleaded guilty to felony child molestation and was sentenced to 20 years, with 10 years in confinement and the balance on probation as a sex offender. He has been in jail since July 2006, and credit was given for time served. Charged with felony aggravated assault for an attack in August 2006, Larry Michael McAvoy pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of making terroristic threats. He was sentenced to five years, with credit for time served, and the balance of the sentence on intensive probation. Judge Dunaway ordered McAvoy to attend AA meetings three times a week and stay away from the victim and the victim's family. Methamphetamine dealing was met with jail time and years on probation in the cases of Evan R. Martin and Steven Lee Morrison. Martin pleaded guilty to felony possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Martin was sentenced to 10 years, with six months in jail and credit for time served since his November arrest. Judge Dunaway also sentenced him to a drug rehab package. Charges dealing with possession of a gun during the commission of a crime were nol prossed, but Martin was sentenced to five years probation to run consecutively on one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Steven Lee Morrison pleaded guilty to felony possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. He was sentenced to five years intensive probation with six months in jail, with credit for time served, plus a cash fine of $2,000. Two firearms possession charges were nol prossed. A course of anger management therapy and 90 to 120 days in jail was the sentence of Mwandishi D. Ferrell, who pleaded guilty to one count of felony aggravated assault. Judge Dunaway put Ferrell on six years intensive probation, ordered her to anger management therapy, to have no contact with firearms or knives, and to stay away from two separate female victims. A charge of felony cruelty to children in the first degree against Johnnie Binns was reduced to simple battery and Binns pleaded guilty to the reduced charge. He was sentenced to 12 months probation and 30 hours community service, to also complete a course in anger management, and to have no violent contact with the victims.
Wilburn Larry Barker pleaded guilty to one count of theft by receiving stolen property. He was sentenced to 10 years probation, a cash fine and restitution to the victim. He must do 100 hours community service, stay away from the victim, and continue alcohol counseling.
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