Three indicted in Berea duplex blaze, meth lab

Local News

January 27, 2012

By Sarah Hogsed Register News Writer The Richmond Register Fri Jan 27, 2012, 07:00 AM EST

RICHMOND — A Madison grand jury indicted three Berea residents Wednesday in connection with a duplex fire that led to the discovery of a meth lab.

The next-door neighbors to 900-A Weeping Willow Dr. called police about 9 p.m. Nov. 13 and reported a disturbance, said Capt. Ken Clark, then-Berea Police spokesperson, in an earlier report. The neighbors said there were sounds and smoke coming from the apartment.

Firefighters were able to quickly put out a fire that mostly involved curtains at the duplex in the Beaumont subdivision off Peggy Flats Road, Clark said. Investigators reportedly found evidence of a meth lab in the apartment, but the lab was not the cause of the fire.

Three occupants of the apartment were arrested. They were Raleigh Sizemore Sr., 69, Raleigh Sizemore Jr., 30, and Linda Sue Clark, 51, all residents of Berea.

Raleigh Sizemore Jr. was indicted on charges of manufacturing meth and second-degree arson, both Class B felonies, and first-degree persistent offender. The charge for persistent offender enhances the other charges to a Class A felony, punishable by 20 to 50 years in jail, or life imprisonment. The indictment states Sizemore previously had been charged with two or more felony offenses.

Clark was indicted on charges of manufacturing methamphetamine, first-degree possession of a controlled substance (meth) and third-degree possession of a controlled substance (clonazepam). The most serious charge, manufacturing meth, is a Class B felony punishable by 10 to 20 years in prison.

Raleigh Sizemore Sr. was indicted on charges of criminal facilitation of manufacturing meth and first-degree possession of a controlled substance (meth), both Class D felonies, and third-degree possession of a controlled substance (clonazepam), a misdemeanor. A Class D felony is punishable by one to five years in prison.

The Sizemores and Clark all have been release on bond.

Other indictments

• Ethan Bishop, second-degree assault, a Class C felony. The attack occurred Nov. 3 against a woman, according to the indictment. The crime is punishable by five to 10 years in prison.

• Zachary A. Bell, first-degree burglary, a Class B felony, and second-degree burglary, a Class C felony. Bell is accused entering two homes on Nov. 17 with the intent to commit a crime, according to the indictment. In one of the homes, the indictment said he was armed with a deadly weapon. Class B felonies are punishable by 10 to 20 years in jail, and a Class C felony is eligible for a sentence of five to 10 years.

Bell also was indicted on a charge of theft by unlawful taking under $500 in a separate 2009 incident. The charge is a misdemeanor.

• Whitney L. Wininger, four counts of second-degree criminal possession of a forged instrument, and Cody R. Turner, five counts of second-degree criminal possession of a forged instrument. Wininger also was indicted on a misdemeanor charge of receiving stolen property worth less than $500. If convicted, they could face up to five years in prison.

Wininger and Turner are charged with possessing several forged checks from the same account that were cashed for various amounts from Oct. 31 to Nov. 11, according to the indictment.

• Matthew T. West, first-degree burglary, a Class B felony; two counts of a convicted felon in possession of a handgun, a Class C felony; receiving stolen property, a Class D felony; and second-degree persistent offender.

• Ryan K. Rigsby, first-degree burglary and receiving stolen property.

West and Rigsby are accused of unlawfully entering a home with the intent to commit a crime while West was armed, according to the indictment.

No true bills were returned for Billy Christopher Shearer, Jobie Kirby and Allen Fraley.

An indictment is a formal statement of charges and does not imply guilt.

Sarah Hogsed can be reached at shogsed@richmondregister.com or 624-6694.

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