Gravois Mills man accused of elder abuse, arson

A Gravois Mills man faces charges of elder abuse and first-degree arson for allegedly assaulting another man with a propane torch and burning items in his house.

Christian C.M. “Chad” Lepper, 23, is accused of attacking John Ball, 48, at Ball’s Gravois Mills home last week.

Ball, who is mentally disabled, reported to the Morgan County Sheriff’s Department that Lepper and a juvenile suspect entered his home with a propane torch and began burning things in the home, including walls, ceilings and furniture.

When Ball tried to stop them, the suspects pointed the torch at his head, singing his hair and blistering his ear. Ball continued to resist the assailants, and he was struck in the head with the bottle connected to the torch.

The sheriff’s department has not determined the suspects’ motive for the attack, but Morgan County Sheriff Jim Petty did say, “They were just bullying him.”

Both charges Lepper is facing are class B felonies, coming with between five and 15 years in prison upon conviction.

The juvenile suspect’s case was referred to the department’s juvenile officers, pending further action, Petty said.

During the investigation, deputies recovered a stolen gas-powered electric generator from Ball’s trailer. The juvenile involved in the assault and a third man, not involved in the assault, allegedly left it there. 

That discovery led deputies to find several thousand dollars worth of stolen tools, motors and other items at the home of the juvenile suspect, Petty said.

All of the items were stolen from residences on or near Cody Road. The department determined each of the owners, and is now in the process of returning the stolen items. 

Petty said deputies are investigating whether these three people were responsible for other thefts, burglaries or robberies in Morgan County, but he said his office is not seeking charges related to the discovered property at this point.

“We’re checking into that possibility,” Petty said.