MORE: Records: Teen accused in massive Hamilton warehouse fire violated juvenile probation 16 times
Henry, of the 500 block of Valley View in Hamilton, was in Butler County Common Pleas Judge Keith Spaeth’s courtroom on Tuesday for a pre-trial hearing. Defense attorney Edward Perry entered a not guilty plea on his behalf.
Earlier this month, following a probable cause hearing, Butler County Juvenile Judge Ronald Craft bound the case over to adult court. Bond was set at $115,000 for Henry.
Henry is scheduled to be back in court Jan 9 for a pre-trial hearing. He was in attendance with his mother, and Spaeth warned him to follow house rules while on bond.
Security videos from neighboring businesses showed four males who looked to be juveniles enter the warehouse during the early-morning hours of July 25, according to police. Minutes later, they ran out, and flames were soon visible.
Henry is the teen police say set the fire.
Hamilton Detective Robert Horton testified during a probable cause hearing that investigators were able to identify the four males seen on the video and question three of them.
PHOTOS: Aftermath of the massive Hamilton warehouse fire that could be seen for miles
The teens said they were hanging out and entered the west side of the warehouse through a door. They were climbing on a bin of plastic when Henry put a lighter to the plastic, Horton said during testimony.
“He (Henry) took a lighter, lit the plastic while they were on top of it, they jumped down and ran out,” Horton said.
During questioning by Perry at the probable cause hearing, Horton said all three boys pointed to Henry as the person who lit the fire.
Horton said there was no evidence an accelerant was used to light the fire, but Henry said they all attempted to put out the fire before leaving the building.
Cleanup will cost an estimated $100,000, according to police.
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