Treatment ordered for Huber Heights man accused of arson, insurance fraud [Dayton Daily News, Ohio]

Dayton Daily News (OH)

Feb. 23—A Huber Heights man accused of intentionally setting fire to a house in May 2022 and filing an insurance claim has been granted treatment in lieu of conviction.

Jeremy Sparks, 35, was ordered to receive rehabilitation treatment for at least a year and no more than five years, according to Montgomery County Common Pleas Court records filed Wednesday.

The order was issued Feb. 16 after Sparks pleaded guilty to a felony vandalism charge via a bill of information

He initially was charged with two counts of arson, insurance fraud and vandalism, all felony charges, but the indictment was waived.

Sparks was accused of setting fire to a house in the 7900 block of Berchman Drive and then filing an insurance claim for the loss of the property and contents, according to the Montgomery County Prosecutor's Office.

The insurance claim was for more than $350,000, which is more than triple the $100,000 loss to property and contents estimated in a Huber Heights Fire Division report.

The house was engulfed when crews responded around 10:30 p.m. May 27, 2022.

"It just sounded like a bomb went off," said a 911 caller from a Harshmanville Road residence behind Sparks' property. "There's flames roaring from the house right now."

A neighbor across the street reported hearing a large explosion and later said she could hear glass breaking out.

"It's on fire bad," she said. "I see black smoke and flames."

Crews had to force their way in. Fire departments from Butler Twp., Dayton and Vandalia also responded to assist, according to a call log.

"Fire involvement was throughout entire residence, contents were limited," a fire report stated.

Crews were on scene for nearly three and a half hours.

The report did not state the cause of the fire, but noted there were no smoke detectors.

Sparks arrived at the property during the fire and was detained so he could speak to a Huber Heights Police Division detective. He was identified as a suspect, fire records show, and reportedly told police the house was under foreclosure.

Sparks bought the property for $100,000 on Jan. 24, 2018, described as a 1,404-square-foot brick ranch-style house built in 1962, according to the Montgomery County Auditor's Office.

A mortgage foreclosure was filed in March 2022 by PennyMac Loan Services LLC and the property was sold for $105,501 on Sept. 26, common pleas court records show.

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