Judge denies new trial for convicted arsonist

3/19/2004

VAN WERT, Ohio - A St. Marys, Ohio, man convicted of intentionally setting fire to a rental property he owned in Delphos has been denied a retrial and will be sentenced next month.

Raymond Eggeman, 61, was convicted in November, 2003, of aggravated arson and insurance fraud in connection with the September, 2002, blaze.

According to investigators, Eggeman set fire to an unoccupied property by pouring gasoline on carpeting and then severed a natural gas line to feed the blaze.

Judge Charles Steele of Van Wert County Common Pleas Court denied Eggeman's request for a new trial this week and scheduled his sentencing for April 6.

Eggeman could be sentenced to as much as 10 years in prison for the aggravated arson count and 18 months for the insurance fraud count.