Ron Welch
Muskingum County Prosecutor
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, July 2, 2026
Man Convicted of Arson for Setting Car on Fire Sentenced 10 Years
(ZANESVILLE, OH)
July 1, 2026, Larry Mitchell Jr., appeared before Judge Gerald Anderson in the Muskingum Court of Common Pleas to be sentenced for charges that stem from Mitchell setting a man’s car on fire at a local hotel.
Mitchell previously admitted guilt and was sentenced for the following: Arson, Aggravated Arson, and Kidnapping; all felonies.
Following his guilty pleas for his arson case, Mitchell pled guilty to Perjury in relation to a separate case in which he lied as a witness at Grand Jury. Lying as a witness during Grand Jury proceedings is a felony level offense referred to as Perjury.
To learn more about the role of the Grand Jury in Muskingum County please visit our Topics page: https://www.muskingumprosecutor.org/Topics-Answers/#FAQs2
Following his guilty plea to the Perjury case the Court moved directly onto sentencing for both cases.
Judge Anderson sentenced Mitchell to 10 years in prison plus an additional 600 days for time that was remaining on his post-release control that he was currently serving at the time of arson for a previous offense of sexual battery.
Details of the Case:
At approximately 3am on April 4, 2026, the Muskingum County Sheriff's Office was dispatched to a local hotel in reference to a caller reporting that an unknown man was trying to catch his car on fire.
The victim saw from his second-floor room the unknown male pouring lighter fluid onto his car. The victim began to yell at the suspect when the roof of the car caught on fire. The suspect then continued to walk around the victim’s car and pour lighter fluid onto it while stating, “I’m going to burn your car” and “I’m going to kill you.”
The victim then ran downstairs and attempted to exit through the hotel’s exit door. The suspect held the exit door shut, not allowing him to exit before finally letting go and fleeing the scene.
Security footage shows Larry Mitchell pouring fluid onto the victim’s car. Mitchell is then seen going to his room and then returns and sets the car on fire. Mitchell is then seen standing near the hotel door watching the car burn.
During sentencing the judge heard that the car that Mitchell set on fire was the only property the victim owned and its loss was devastating to the victim who had been living in the hotel and his car while trying to get back on his feet.
The Judge ordered restitution to the victim after hearing of the hardship the loss created.
"Arson is one of the most dangerous crimes that an individual can commit because once a fire is lit, it can spread and become a danger to other property and life,” said Assistant Prosecutor Warren Edwards, who handled the case. “As a result, the Muskingum County Prosecutor's office seeks serious consequences for such crimes."
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