By Shavonne Potts
Salisbury Post
A Kannapolis man charged in 2005 with burning a barn on Kimball Road pleaded guilty Monday in Rowan Superior Court.
Ryan Michael Price, then 18, was charged along with Nathan Charles Latta, of China Grove, then 16, for starting a fire in a barn owned by Lee Goodnight at 1275 Kimball Road.
Price, now 20 was sentenced to six to eight months in the N.C. Department of Correction and five years supervised probation. He was also ordered to pay $10,000 in restitution.
Nathan Charles Latta, now 19, was not scheduled to appear in court. No court records indicate the status of his charges.The barn was used as storage for a couple who was renting a nearby home from Goodnight.
Fire officials at the time immediately became suspicious of the fire and found an accelerant that had been used.
According to Price’s own statement, he handed a lighter to someone else who set the fire.
Defense attorney James Oxendine said he first met his client when Price was in the custody of the Rowan County Department of Social Services.
“He had some high and low points during this time. He’s had some setbacks,” Oxendine said.
Oxendine said that his client at first discouraged the other person from setting fire to the barn, then handed over a lighter. Oxendine did not name the person who Price contends set fire to the barn.
Price spoke briefly, apologizing for his actions. He is currently in the jail serving the remainder of a 10-day sentence for marijuana possession.
Department of Correction records show Latta is currently in a state detention facility in Polk County.
Contact Shavonne Potts at 704-797-4253 or spotts@salisburypost.com.