An Onslow County woman has been charged with various crimes and misdemeanors following a multi-agency investigation into arson and child abuse that spanned several years.
The North Carolina Department of Insurance reports that Chastity Dawn Keeter, 36, of Jacksonville, was recently arrested.
Keeter has been charged with one case of second-degree arson, two counts of first-degree arson, two counts of burning personal property, and one act of attempted first-degree arson, all felonies. According to the NCDOI, Keeter also faces three misdemeanor child abuse charges.
According to officials, special agents from the NC Department of Insurance Criminal Investigations Division worked with the City of Jacksonville Police and Fire Departments, the Onslow County Sheriff’s and Fire Marshal’s offices, and the Conference of District Attorneys on several arson cases involving intentional fires in the Onslow County/Jacksonville area dating back to 2017.
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A public announcement adds, “Keeter was already set to appear in court on two felony arson charges filed on March 23, 2023. According to the arrest warrants, the additional violations took place on July 22, 2017, August 25, 2017, March 20, 2018, and June 28, 2018.
In July 2018, the Onslow County Sheriff’s Office arrested Keeter for second-degree arson after he started two fires at the same property. She was previously convicted of second-degree arson in Rockingham County in 2004.
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Keeter was arrested on July 2 for these latest allegations, and he is being held on a total of $205,000 in secured bonds for the nine distinct charges. She appeared in Onslow County Court on July 5 WCTI stated.
“This years-long and multi-agency investigation took a lot of teamwork and commitment by our agents and partner law enforcement agencies,” according to Commissioner Causey. “I am grateful to all who were involved.”