Nov. 24--CHARLESTON -- A Logan man was sentenced to six and one-half years in prison on Fri., Nov. 22. Michael L. White, 58, was found guilty by a federal jury on May 10 of organizing a scheme to set fire to a Boone County rental duplex to collect more than $80,000 in insurance claims. White was found guilty on all three counts charged against him: conspiracy to commit arson, arson and accessory after the fact. Evidence at trial determined that White conspired with Kimberly Dawn Kinder and her now deceased husband to set fire to a residential rental unit owned by White located in Van.
Mrs. Kinder, 46, of Chapmanville, previously pleaded guilty to her role in the conspiracy in June 2012. She was sentenced in June 2013 to three years and one month in federal prison.
On Oct. 15, 2009, the Kinders arrived at the Van duplex. After entering the unit, Mr. Kinder poured gasoline on and set fire to a pile of clothes in the living area and Mrs. Kinder drove the getaway vehicle.
The Van Volunteer Fire Department later responded and extinguished the fire, but the property suffered severe damage. Afterward, White filed an insurance claim with Nationwide Insurance Company as a result of the fire. Nationwide in turn paid White $80,716.51. White subsequently paid the Kinders a total of approximately $2,000 in small increments as payment for their role in the conspiracy.
White was also ordered to pay full restitution to Nationwide in the amount of $80,716.51.
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