FAYETTEVILLE, WV (LOOTPRESS) – A Fayette County man has been sentenced for prison after breaking into a garage for what is believed to have been initially planned as a robbery.
According to the Office of the Prosecuting Attorney of Fayette County, on April 9, 2022, the Fayette County Sheriff’s Department responded to reports of a breaking and entering situation occurring in the Oak Hill area.
It was advised by the homeowner that a man she did not know – later identified as Lewis E. Jarrell, 50 years old of Minden, WV – had knocked on her door, but she did not answer. Apparently believing that no one was home at the residence, Jarrell was observed through a home surveillance system making entry into the garage.
At this point, the homeowner alerted 911 as well as a family member. The family member arrived prior to law enforcement and proceeded to confront Jarrell in the garage area. Jarrell proceeded to attempt to attack the family member before being restrained to await the arrival of law enforcement.
Inspection of the crime scene indicated to law enforcement that Jarrell had loaded property of the homeowner into the homeowner’s vehicle and had been preparing to steal the vehicle along with the contents inside.
Lewis E. Jarrell was sentenced by Circuit Judge Paul M. Blake Jr. on April 18, 2023, for the felony crime of entry of a building other than a dwelling for which he must serve one to 10 years in prison, and the misdemeanor crime of battery for which he must serve a minimum of 12 months in prison before becoming eligible for parole.
Jarrell pled guilty to the crimes in question on February 17, 2023. The case was investigated by the Fayette County Sheriff’s Office and Oak Hill Police Department, and was prosecuted by Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Sarah F. Smith.