North Carolina Couple Arrested After Alleged Arson

A North Carolina couple was arrested on charges of arson, according to an announcement by Insurance Commissioner Wayne Goodwin.

Department of Insurance criminal investigators allege that Mark Dwayne Geer, Jr. set fire to the couple’s Wilmington residence on May 12, 2014, to collect insurance funds and conspired with Michelle Alaina May to provide fraudulent information to USAA Insurance Company. The couple has received approximately $9,800 in living expenses from the insurer.

After a joint investigation by the Department of Insurance, Wilmington Police Department, Wilmington Fire Department and the N.C. State Bureau of Investigation, Geer was arrested in New Hanover County on July 16 and charged with one count each of second-degree arson, fraudulently burning of one’s own dwelling, burning of personal property, insurance fraud, obtaining property by false pretense, and five counts of felony conspiracy. He was placed under a $50,000 bond.

May was arrested in New Hanover County on July 16 and charged with five counts of felony conspiracy. She was placed under a $20,000 bond.

The Department of Insurance employs 20 sworn state law enforcement officers dedicated to investigating and prosecuting claims of insurance and bail bonding fraud. Since Insurance Commissioner Wayne Goodwin took office in 2009, criminal investigators have made more than 1,000 arrests, resulting in more than 500 criminal convictions with more than 200 cases currently pending court. These efforts have delivered more than $61 million in restitution and recoveries for victims.

Source: North Carolina Department of Insurance