LEBANON — A 23-year-old Franklin was sentenced to seven years in prison Wednesday for his role in a fire that destroyed Smith’s Bistro last October in Franklin.

Terry Cragg, 23 of Franklin, was sentenced in Warren County Common Pleas Court to seven years after pleading guilty to the first-degree aggravated arson charge and four years for the second-degree burglary charge in Judge Robert Peeler’s courtroom. The sentences will run concurrently, according to Warren County Assistant Prosecutor Gary Loxley.

“The Warren County Prosecutor’s Office is pleased that this defendant saw fit to admit to these crimes and that he will now pay the consequences by serving an extended period of time in prison,” Loxley said.

Cragg, along with Caleb Ward of Franklin and Steven Dean of Miamisburg, were arrested following an investigation by the Franklin Police Department.

The fire at the 543 S. Main St., broke out just after 7:30 a.m. on Oct. 3, 2011. Crews from Franklin, Middletown, Turtlecreek and Miami townships, and Lebanon and Miamisburg battled the blaze for approximately four hours.

“It was just good old fashioned police work,” Franklin police chief Russ Whitman said. “We all pulled together on this investigation and it is good to see it coming to a successful resolution.”

Dean and Ward are scheduled to be sentenced next month on charges of burglary and safe cracking.

Contact this reporter at (513) 705-2852 or Skip.Weaver@coxinc.com.