MOUNT VERNON — Attorneys reached a plea deal Wednesday in the case of a man accused of starting two arson fires at FT Precision last year.
Zachery Snyder was indicted in April 2024 on two counts of aggravated arson for fires on April 16 and April 17, 2024. Both counts are second-degree felonies.
Knox County Prosecutor Chip McConville said Snyder pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of attempted arson for the second count. Attempted arson is a third-degree felony.
The first count was dismissed.
“We were approached by defense counsel during the afternoon break with a potential resolution,” McConville said. “We made a counteroffer, and that’s where we wound up.
“This is a deal where I think both sides perceived some trial risk. We checked with FT Precision senior management, and they were willing to go along with this.”
Snyder will be ordered to pay restitution up to the deductible of the insurance, which is $50,000.
“The overall loss on that April 17 fire is in the neighborhood of $450,000, which is why we chose that one to plead to,” McConville said.
The 37-year-old Snyder faces a potential prison sentence of up to three years. He will also have to register as an arson offender, which is an annual registration.
“The defendant obviously has the benefit of mitigating his potential sentence,” McConville said.
“Frankly, this is not a deal I would have done for someone with a long criminal record. But this defendant had no priors.”
Plea deals rare during trials
Common Pleas Judge Richard Wetzel set Snyder’s sentencing for Dec. 11.
“It’s rare that cases resolve during trials, but it does happen,” McConville said. “This is the second one in the 11 years I have been the elected prosecutor.”
Knox Pages was unable to reach defense attorney Brandon Crunkilton by publication time.
Snyder’s trial began on Tuesday with opening statements and the first witness. It resumed on Wednesday morning and culminated in the plea deal in mid-afternoon.
