Man pleads no contest to firebomb possession

Largo police had charged James Herbert Posey, 61, with arson in a fire that was set in March at an apartment.

By Times staff writer
© St. Petersburg Times
published October 18, 2002

LARGO -- A man accused of setting an apartment on fire this spring has pleaded no contest to a charge of possessing a firebomb.

Largo police arrested James Herbert Posey, 61, in March on charges of arson and retaliating against a witness. Prosecutors only pursued the arson charge, but amended it to a lesser charge of possessing a firebomb this week.

Posey was scheduled to go to trial Wednesday but pleaded no contest to the firebomb charge, a third-degree felony.

He was sentenced to one year and one day in jail, with credit for 226 days he had already served in jail since his arrest. He also was ordered to pay $500 restitution to the victim, court records show.

Largo police arrested Posey after investigating a fire at an apartment in the 800 block of Rosery Road. The fire, which had been set with blue paper towels soaked in gasoline, burned a door and caught a set of stairs on fire.

A man and a woman who slept inside didn't notice, but a neighbor did and doused the flames with water.

Largo police followed a series of clues that led them to Posey, the most significant clue being a surveillance video from a nearby gas station showing Posey buying a milk jug full of gas, then pulling down blue paper towels.

Police also noticed singed hairs on his forearm. Police said Posey may have tried to burn the apartment after an argument with the occupant.

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