Sun Sep 14 02:40:00 UTC 2025: **FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE**

**Former Pilot House Employee Sentenced to Prison for Arson**

**Key Largo, FL –** Terry Wayne Moore Jr. was sentenced to 30 months in Florida State Prison followed by 10 years of felony probation for setting multiple fires at the Pilot House restaurant in Key Largo. State Attorney Dennis Ward announced the sentencing after Moore entered a plea of no contest and was adjudicated guilty by Circuit Judge James Morgan to arson in the second degree and burglary of a structure.

The incident occurred on March 5, 2024, when Moore broke into the restaurant after hours and ignited multiple fires both inside and outside the building. Monroe County Sheriff’s deputies discovered shattered glass doors, accelerant poured throughout the dining room, and tampered gas lines, creating a potentially explosive situation. While the flames extinguished on their own causing only minor damage, investigators said it was a dangerous act of retaliation. Moore had been fired from the Pilot House in December 2023 and was served eviction papers from the marina where he resided just two days before the arson.

Surveillance footage was crucial in the investigation. The video captured Moore carrying containers into the restaurant, pouring liquid across the floor and bar, and setting it ablaze. Additional footage showed him tampering with propane stoves and drilling into gas lines. Moore’s wife and the restaurant’s manager both identified him in the footage, and Moore later made incriminating statements to detectives.

In addition to the prison sentence and probation, Moore will be required to pay restitution for damages to the Pilot House, complete 300 hours of community service, undergo random drug testing, and cover all court, prosecution, and investigative costs. A no-contact order was also issued, prohibiting Moore from approaching the restaurant property.

“This was a dangerous act of retaliation that could have ended in tragedy,” said Ward. “The Pilot House is more than just a business — it’s part of the heart of Key Largo. The Monroe County Sheriff’s Office did an excellent job investigating this case, quickly arresting the suspect and providing our office the necessary evidence to reach this result.”

Assistant State Attorney Trey Evans prosecuted the case in the Plantation Key office.

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