The Inter-Mountain photo by Taylor McKinnie Roy Allen Carr being sworn in during his plea hearing in Randolph County Circuit Court.

ELKINS — A Randolph County man accused of breaking into a neighbor’s enclosed porch and starting a fire has entered into a plea agreement in Randolph County Circuit Court.

Roy Allen Carr, 34, of Valley Bend, agreed to enter an Alford plea to one count of arson in the first degree.

Carr was initially indicted by the Randolph County Grand Jury in October on one count of arson in the first degree, and one count of burglary, both felonies; and one count of destruction of property, and one count of cruelty to animals, both misdemeanors.

Carr entered into an Alford plea, also known as a Kennedy plea, meaning he did not have to admit to the criminal act and could assert his innocence, but he still accepted the imposition of a sentence.

Carr was represented in court by attorney Brent Easton. Circuit Court Judge Jaymie Wilfong presided over the hearing.

By pleading guilty to arson in the first degree, Carr could possibly be sentenced to not less than two, no more than 20 years 

The hearing for Carr’s plea agreement began on the afternoon of March 11, but was continued to the morning of March 12. At the March 11 hearing’s start, Assistant Randolph County Prosecutor Richard Shryock informed the court of the factual basis for the case.

Shryock said that, on May 18, 2025, West Virginia State Police Trooper Thomas J. Sclimenti received a call regarding a disturbance at a residence in Valley Bend. While en route, Sclimenti was informed that Carr had kicked in the victim’s door. When Sclimenti arrived, the victim stated that Carr was inside the residence and Sclimenti then witnessed Carr exit the residence and detained him.

Shryock told the court Sclimenti then heard a bystander say “the house was on fire” and Sclimenti then observed the front porch to be on fire. He also observed a can of gasoline laying on the porch steps. Sclimenti then grabbed his fire extinguisher and put out the flames before calling the fire department to ensure it was put out.

When Sclimenti spoke with Carr afterwards, Carr, who appeared intoxicated, remarked on the problems he had been having with the victim. Shryock told the court that Carr had a Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) of 0.125 at the time. After being Mirandaized, Carr stated that he had broken into the victim’s residence and had set the fire on the porch.

During the plea hearing, Carr was initially set to just plead guilty and admit what he did to the court; however, when asked by Wilfong as to what made him guilty of first-degree arson, Carr repeatedly stated that the fire had been an accident.

Carr told the court that, in his drunken state, he had lit a wad of paper towels on fire because he was unable to see on the victim’s porch. He said he then threw the burning wad on the porch floor when the flames got too close to his hands.

Wilfong took issue with Carr’s continued insistence that he did not intend to light the victim’s porch on fire, stating she would not accept a guilty plea that was half of an admission.

After some discussion with Shryock, Easton asked Wilfong if Carr’s plea agreement could be changed to an Alford plea. Wilfong agreed, but stated that the hearing would have to be continued until the next day, March 12, to give Carr time to understand what he would be doing by entering into an Alford plea.

Shryock later confirmed with The Inter-Mountain that the plea agreement hearing continued on March 12 and Carr had entered into an Alford plea, with no other changes made to the agreement.