Woman pleads guilty to arson for 2021 barn fires
ELKHART COUNTY, Ind. (WNDU) - A judge is now accepting a plea agreement for a woman accused of burning down barns in Elkhart County.
Sherry Thomas, 33, is pleading guilty to one count of arson for a fire on October 1, 2021 that destroyed a barn and two silos at a centennial farm in Syracuse. The seven other arson counts against Thomas will be dismissed as part of the deal.
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This comes after a hearing last week in which Judge Stephen Bowers rejected the plea agreement. On Monday, he said he had since spoken to the prosecuting attorney and defense team to get more information on it.
Thomas is scheduled for sentencing on January 3. Under the agreement, any time she receives will be served on community corrections.
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In November, Joseph Hershberger was sentenced to 50 years in prison for his role in the same Elkhart County arsons. Hershberger and Thomas still face additional arson charges in Marshall County and Kosciusko County.
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