A Wharton County woman pleaded guilty to setting a house fire in July and was sentenced to 10 years deferred adjudication.
The Wharton County Sheriff’s Office arrested Rylie Bean in February at the scene of a burglary and house fire. The sheriff’s office asked the State Fire Marshal’s Office (SFMO) to conduct an origin and cause investigation.
The SFMO investigation revealed that Bean purposely set the fire which directly led to her guilty plea.
Bean was also given time served for 139 days in county jail, 400 hours of community service, and ordered to pay $174,700 in restitution.
“Our investigators work closely with local law enforcement agencies across the state to provide the expertise needed in complex fire investigations,” said State Fire Marshal Debra Knight. “This outcome reflects the strong partnership between our team and the Wharton County Sheriff’s Office.”
The SFMO is a division of the Texas Department of Insurance. Report suspected arson to the SFMO at 800-578-4677.
