Sentences handed down in restaurant arson

July 21, 2015 at 12:00a.m.

YOUNGSTOWN

Rajendra Ingle said he is not a criminal just before he was sentenced Monday on arson and insurance-fraud charges in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court.

But Visiting Judge Thomas Pokorny told him his actions helped to cause three other people to become criminals.

Judge Pokorny sentenced Ingle, 42, of Streetsboro, to a year in prison for facilitating the arson that destroyed the Spice of India restaurant on Market Street in Boardman on Oct. 8, 2013.

Three others involved in the plot – Jessie Winphrie, 23, Christopher Reynolds, 21, and Sonia Bhatia, 24 – were each sentenced to 20 days in the county jail, five years’ probation and 160 hours of community service.

All four also must come up with more than $190,000 in restitution for losses not covered by insurance to the owner of the building, Nicholas Tzarnas.

Tzarnas told Judge Pokorny the day before the arson, Ingle and others were seen moving things out of the building. He said Ingle and others have threatened him and there was a dispute with Ingle over a liquor license.

“We lost our income. We lost our business,” Tzarnas said.

Tzarnas asked for the maximum penalty for all who were involved.

Prosecutors said Ingle paid Winphrie and Reynolds $500 each to set the fire and Bhatia, a restaurant employee, let them in the building. Ingle filed an insurance claim but the claim was denied because the fire was ruled an arson.

Damian Billak, attorney for Ingle, asked the judge for a sentence that would impose probation with house arrest and work-release restrictions, so that Ingle could work and be able to make payments on the restitution he owes to Tzarnas. Billak said his client never meant to harm anyone, and that Ingle had substance abuse and other issues in his life at the time that led to his behavior.

Ingle apologized and said his actions are not the norm for him.

“I had no intention of harming anybody,” Ingle said. “I am a very honest businessman. Whatever has happened has happened. I will do my best not to repeat this behavior in the future. I am not a criminal.”

Judge Pokorny said, however, that Ingle corrupted others who had scant or no criminal records.

“Mr. Ingle, you corrupted other people to take part in this for financial gain,” Judge Pokorny said.