Thursday morning in Monongalia County Circuit Court, Rodney A. Moats Jr., 31, of Morgantown, was found guilty by a jury of his peers of first-degree arson, two counts of gross child neglect creating risk of injury and domestic assault, following a multi-day trial this week.
Following the jury’s guilty verdict, the Honorable Cindy S. Scott, who presided over the trial, remanded Moats to the North Central Regional Jail, where he will await a sentencing date.
The conviction stems from a June 2022 domestic incident at a Goshen Road apartment complex. There, Moats set fire to a living room curtain in the apartment with two children, ages 8 and 3, just a few feet away, court documents say.
He then prevented his girlfriend from getting water to put out the flames by bending the faucet on the sink. He also used the stove burner to light a rag on fire. The victim said she had to use juice to extinguish the rag.
The children were able to get out of the apartment and to a neighbor as the apartment filled with smoke, records show.
“The apartment was one of approximately nine in the apartment complex,” Sgt. Ethan Mongold stated in his report of the incident. “Mr. Moats not only endangered the children who were only a few feet away, but the entire apartment complex.”
Moats was indicted by a Monongalia County grand jury Jan. 11.
The case was prosecuted by Monongalia County Prosecuting Attorney Gabrielle Mucciola, who said she is “grateful that the victims found the strength and courage to speak and allow the jury to return a just verdict.”
Monongalia County Sheriff’s Department Sgt. Mongold, Detective Friend and Deputy Shubert investigated the case with assistance from Investigator Troy Ball.
At sentencing, Moats faces 2-20 years in prison for the first-degree arson conviction. For each of the two counts of gross child neglect creating risk of injury, Moats faces one-to-five years imprisonment. For his conviction of domestic assault, he will face not more than six months.
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