North Carolina Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey today announced the arrest of Chastity Dawn Keeter, 36, of 508 Sioux Drive, Jacksonville, NC. Keeter was charged with one count of second-degree arson, two counts of first-degree arson, two counts of burning personal property and one count of attempting first-degree arson, all felonies. She was also charged with three misdemeanor counts of child abuse.
Special agents from the NC Department of Insurance Criminal Investigations Division collaborated 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 multiple arson cases of intentional fires in the Onslow County/Jacksonville area that date back to 2017.
Keeter was already scheduled to appear in court from two felony charges of arson that occurred on March 23, 2023. According to the arrest warrants, the other offenses occurred on July 22, 2017, Aug. 25, 2017, March 20, 2018 and June 28, 2018.
Onslow County Sheriff’s previously arrested Keeter for second degree arson in July of 2018 for setting two fires at the same home then. She was also previously convicted of second-degree arson charge in Rockingham County in 2004.
Keeter was arrested on July 2 for these latest charges and is being held under $205,000 total in secured bonds from the nine separate charges. She appeared in Onslow County Court on July 5.
“This years-long and multi-agency investigation took a lot of teamwork and commitment by our agents and partner law enforcement agencies,” Commissioner Causey said. “I am grateful to all who were involved.”
If you suspect property or automobile crimes, report it. Don’t wait to become a victim. You may anonymously call the N.C. Department of Insurance Criminal Investigations Division at 919-807-6840 or toll free from anywhere in North Carolina at 888-680-7684.
Information is also available at www.ncdoi.gov.