Former Napa Valley College Basketball Player Pleads Guilty To Arson, Burglary

NAPA COUNTY, CA — A former Napa Valley College basketball player has pleaded guilty to arson and commercial burglary stemming from a disagreement he had with his basketball coach. Kasey Cardell Holt, 24, of Hercules, was arrested for attempted murder of his coach Steve Ball, arson of the coach's office and arson of a condominium he believed belonged to the head basketball coach in June 2015, the Napa County District Attorney's Office said.

Holt broke into the college's gymnasium on June 22, 2015 and set fire to Ball's office, according to the Napa County District Attorney' Office. A week later he tried to set fire to and planted a destructive device at a condominium on Valley Oak Drive in Napa. During the attempt to burn what he believed was the coach's residence Holt set fire to a neighboring condo, the District Attorney' Office said.

The gym fire caused approximately $591,000 damage and damage to the condominiums exceeded $50,000, the District Attorney's Office said.

• Former Napa Valley Student Arrested, Accused Of Arson At Campus, Townhouse

Holt pleaded guilty Friday to arson of an inhabited structure, possession of a destructive device with intent to injure and commercial burglary. He also admitted special allegations of arson with use of a device to accelerate the fire and delay its ignition and causing damage exceeding $200,000.

Holt will serve 12 years and eight months in prison according to the plea agreement. Attempted murder and first-degree burglary charges will be dismissed at sentencing on Oct. 27 in Napa County Superior Court.

Holt also must pay full restitution to Napa Valley College and the condominium residents as part of the plea agreement. He remains in the Napa County Jail under $5 million bail.

By Bay City News Service

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