November 15, 2022
By: Dwayne Page
A man accused of setting fire to a cabin on Smith Fork Road near Dowelltown almost three years ago was sentenced in DeKalb County Criminal Court on Monday, November 14.
Judge Gary McKenzie presided.
40-year-old Joseph Huff Ray entered a plea to charges of aggravated arson and aggravated burglary. He received a 10-year sentence in each case to serve as a range I offender at 30% before his release eligibility date. The two terms are to run concurrently. Ray was given jail credit of 1,036 days. His restitution amount is to be determined.
The investigation began after a fire was reported at the cabin on January 12, 2020 at 10:27 p.m. The owner was not occupying the cabin at the time having used it as a seasonal residence. The cabin was destroyed in the blaze.
During the investigation, a detective of the Sheriff’s Department learned that sometime prior to the fire Joseph Huff Ray and his girlfriend had apparently broken into and taken up residence in the cabin without the knowledge of the owner.
The detective later learned that Ray and his girlfriend had posted photos of the cabin on their facebook page which were made prior to the fire. There were also facebook photos of a tractor parked near the cabin and a set of antique keys to the cabin. The keys were posted for sale. The photos were shown to the owner of the cabin who identified the property as belonging to him.
TBI assisted in the investigation at the scene.
In other cases, 49-year-old Jeffery Lynn Sanders entered a plea to charges of theft over $1,000 and vandalism over $1,000 and received a sentence of two years on probation in each case to run consecutively. Remaining counts and cases against him are to be dismissed subject to this plea agreement and he was given credit for time served. A restitution amount is to be determined.
37-year-old Jonathon David Thomas entered a plea to sale of a schedule II drug and aggravated burglary. He received a five-year sentence in the drug case and three years for the burglary to run consecutive for a total sentence of eight years. Thomas was fined $2,000 and given jail credit of 442 days.
42-year-old Clifton Murphy entered a plea to theft under $1,000 and received a sentence of 11 months and 29 days suspended to six months of supervised probation and six months of good behavior probation.
51-year-old Christopher Pack entered a plea to evading arrest and received a sentence of 11 months and 29 days all suspended to supervised probation. The term is to run consecutive to his Wilson County probation.
26-year-old Anthony Marquall Love entered a plea by criminal information to two counts of criminal simulation and received a two-year sentence in each case to run consecutively for a total of four years but suspended to probation. He was given jail credit of 86 days.
43-year-old Angel Tamayo entered a plea to violation of the sex offender registry and received a one-year sentence all suspended to probation except for time served and to run concurrent with a White County sentence against him. He was given jail credit of 237 days.
55-year-old Dana Cantrell entered a plea to sale of a schedule II drug (methamphetamine) over 0.5 grams and received an eight-year suspended sentence. He was fined $2,000.
Meanwhile on November 3, 42-year-old Terry Maynard entered a plea to sale of a schedule II drug under 0.5 grams and receive a three-year sentence all suspended to supervised probation. He was fined $2,000.