3:06pm: Hotline with Dave Weekley

Two appear in court connected to Westover church fire

MORGANTOWN — Two men arrested and charged with arson in connection with a March church fire appeared in court Wednesday.

Jordan Lispcomb-Moffat, 18, submitted a motion to reduce his bond to $30,000 due to financial reasons.

Lipscomb-Moffat is charged with second degree arson for allegedly setting fire to Destiny Deliverance Ministries on Monongahela Avenue on March 17 in Westover.

Destiny Deliverance Ministries is headquartered out of North Carolina.

Chad Noel, assistant Monongalia County prosecuting attorney, said the state did not oppose Lipscomb-Moffat’s motion, but asked the bond be secured and that Lispcomb-Moffat take a risk assessment with the Day Report office and follow any suggestions or orders.

Magistrate James Nabors ordered just that.

Nabors told Lispcomb-Moffat if he made his new bail, Day Report would work with him to help him secure a job if he was serious about being employed. Lispcomb-Moffat was also informed he would be required to take a drug test as a part of the assessment.

Nabors also informed Jordan Wilson, 21, he would be taking a drug test as well. He also ordered Wilson to take the same risk assessment with the Day Report office.

Both men waived their rights to preliminary hearings.

Second degree arson is punishable by one to 10 years in prison.

A third man, 20-year-old Michael Pyles, is charged as an accessory.

A version of this story, written by William Dean, first appeared in the Thursday, April 12 edition of The Dominion Post.





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