Man accused of creating scheme to burn down house, frame girlfriend, accepts plea deal
A Clermont County man accused of creating an elaborate scheme to burn down his own house and frame his girlfriend will not face and jail or prison time.
In 2019, Paul Hicks was indicted on six felonies, including two counts of aggravated arson, three counts of perjury and an insurance fraud charge.
Last week, Clermont County prosecutors offered him a plea deal. Hick pleaded no contest and was found guilty on a misdemeanor insurance fraud charge. He was sentenced to community control.
The case dates back to 2015, the year of the fire on Stumpy Lane in Goshen.
The fire was caught on home security cameras, from the first blast to the flames spreading from the kitchen and into the living room.
Prior to the fire, cameras also captured two people entering the home carrying gas cans. They can be seen removing two large TVs and dousing the inside of the house.
According to court documents, Hicks tried blaming the fire on his ex-girlfriend and pointed her out in the video.
Hicks is quoted in court documents saying, "I've lived with her for over seven years, laid beside the woman every night. I know what she looks like. I know her actions. I know the way she walks. I can tell it's her."
Detectives with the Clermont County Sheriff's Office even questioned the girlfriend about it. She was cleared.
The girlfriend spoke exclusively with 바카라게임 Tuesday night but asked us not to use her name.
"He wanted to hurt me, to take my son, because I left him, and the only thing that would hurt me would be put me in prison and take my son," she said.
The last three years consisted of court appearances and continuations.
Civilly though, Allstate won its case. Hicks agreed to pay $400,000 to the insurance company.
Through court filings in the civil case, the girlfriend learned shocking details. Records show Hicks had someone purchase a mask for him from a company called "That's my face." It's a company that made custom-made wearable masks.
"I was in shock," the girlfriend said. "There was proof a mask was bought of my face."
That was shortly before the fire that investigators said she was being framed for.
The ex said she spent the last several years waiting for justice. She said a plea deal and misdemeanor conviction is not the outcome she expected.
"That's not justice. When you have a victim out here hurting with a child who has a father that's done this to their mother, how is that justice?" she said.
As part of the plea deal, felony charges were dismissed. Hicks was sentenced to community control.
바카라게임 reached out to Clermont County prosecutors to discuss the case. Their only comment was, "the case was handled in the best interest of justice."