Man who set stolen Volvo on fire to serve 1 1/2 to 6 years in prison

LACONIA — A former Tilton man who was charged by police in Laconia for receiving stolen property (a Volvo C70), resisting arrest and disobeying a police officer pleaded guilty last week in the Belknap County Superior Court.

Corey Cromwell, 26, also pleaded guilty to one court of arson, lodged by Gilford Police, for burning the car he allegedly stole shortly after he encountered Laconia Police and ran from them.

Cromwell was first spotted during the morning of September 28 by Belmont Police who found him behind the wheel of a car that was out of gas. The officer checked Cromwell's drivers license, which was valid, and the car plates came back okay so he let a friend of Cromwell's come to his assistance with some fuel.

When the Belmont officer returned to the station and investigated further, he learned that the license plate belonged to a different car and sent out alerts to keep a look out for Cromwell and the car.

A Laconia Police sergeant saw the car near Sacred Heart Church on Gilford Avenue shortly after hearing the alert and tried to stop Cromwell who fled from the scene at a high rate of speed. Because of the high speeds, the sergeant chose not to pursue him.

A few hours after that, Gilford Fire Chief Steve Carrier was hiking when he saw fire coming from the woods in Gilford and notified his department.

Police and Fire responded and learned it was the same car reported earlier by Belmont and Laconia. Cromwell was no where to be found and the car was destroyed.

On October 13, Tilton Police detained Cromwell when one of his friends was caught shoplifting at Walmart. Although Cromwell had no involvement in the shoplifting, police held him on Laconia's outstanding warrants.

Cromwell was sentenced to serve 1 1/2 to 6 years for the arson charge, 1 1/2 to 6 years for the receiving stolen property — to be served consecutively — and two suspended six month suspended sentences for disobeying an order and resisting arrest.

He was credited with 112 days of pretrial confinement.