NkyTribune staff
Brothers John and James Pearson have been found guilty of 1st degree burglary in a 2015 incident that resulted in a fire that destroyed a home in Covington.
John Pearson was also convicted of 2nd degree arson in the incident.
A jury took hours to find the men guilty, then deliberated for another two hours before finding each defendant guilty of being a Persistent Felony Offender in the First Degree.
The jury then recommended sentencing James Pearson to 25 years in prison and John Pearson to 60 years in prison. Formal sentencing will take place May 8.
The Kenton Commonwealth’s Attorney released the following report detailing the events that led to the conviction of both men:
At approximately 4 a.m. on September 7, 2015, Covington Police Officer Douglas Ullrich responded to the 900 block of Leonard Street in Covington for a call of smoke in the area.
Ullrich found the residence at 912 Leonard Street fully engulfed in flames. While the Covington Fire Department worked to extinguish the fire, police officers obtained surveillance video from a neighbor’s security system.
Review of the video showed John Pearson walk from his house at 926 Leonard Street to the victim’s home with a crowbar. Officers later located the crowbar near the rear door of the victims’ residence and determined it was used to break into the home.
The video further showed during the next hour after the break-in, John and James Pearson made several trips back and forth between their residence and the victims’ house, each time returning with stolen property, including a large TV, an Xbox gaming system, various electronics, and a 410-guage shotgun.
Approximately an hour later, John Pearson returned to the victims’ residence and set the house on fire. Testimony from Covington firefighters, including Asst. Chief Seth Poston, Captain Michael Lee, and Engineer Steve Bramlage, described the magnitude of the fire and extent of the damage to the home.
Capt. Lee explained that fire started at the couch in the living room and then spread throughout the house. At the time of the burglary and fire, the young family who lived in the residence was out of town visiting family after the birth of their second daughter.
Sgt. Jon Mangus led the police investigation which centered around the Pearson residence.
While officers were watching the house, James Pearson left with a duffel bag full of the property stolen from inside the victims’ home. John Pearson was later apprehended as he attempted to exit through the back door of the residence. Officers located all of the items stolen from the victims’ home, and seen on the surveillance video, inside the Pearson residence.
Both John and James Pearson were arrested and charged with 1st Degree Burglary and 2nd Degree Arson.
The defendants were indicted on the same charges in addition to being 1st Degree Persistent Felony Offenders. A jury trial before Kenton Circuit Judge Greg Bartlett began on March 21, 2017 and was prosecuted by Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorneys Emily Arnzen and Rachel Wright.
In addition to the Covington firefighters, the jury heard from Covington Police Officers Ullrich, Jay Zerhusen, Phouthakone Homphothichak, Sgt. Mike Thompson, Sgt. Matthew Winship, and Sgt. Jon Mangus, and Crime Lab Technicians Susan Stadtlander and Angie Keller.
John and James Pearson argued unsuccessfully that the case was one of mistaken identity, and that two other men were seen on the video who left the property in their residence and left before police arrived.
At the conclusion of the five day trial, the jury deliberated for approximately two hours before finding James Pearson guilty of 1st Degree Burglary, and finding John Pearson guilty of 1st Degree Burglary and 2nd Degree Arson. The jury then deliberated for another two hours before finding each defendant guilty of being a Persistent Felony Offender in the First Degree.
The jury then recommended sentencing James Pearson to 25 years in prison and John Pearson to 60 years in prison. Formal sentencing will take place May 8.