Virginia Woman Receives 6 Years in Prison for Arson, Insurance Fraud

Nelson County, Va., resident was sentenced to six years and three months in prison after she was found guilty earlier this year of arson and insurance fraud.

Linda Blackwell had been under investigation for arson and insurance fraud by the Virginia State Police Bureau of Criminal Investigation‘s Appomattox Field Office for the past five years. She was charged with Arson and Obtaining Money by False Pretense for fires in Aug. 2009, Feb. 2012 and May 2013. In the Aug. 2009 fire, Blackwell was also charged with first degree murder, of which she was acquitted.

Blackwell was found guilty in March 2014 of two Obtaining Money by False Pretense charges, one Attempt to Obtain Money by False Pretense and two Arson charges. Judge J. Michael Gamble, Nelson County Circuit Court, sentenced her to five years on each of the arson charges and five months on the Obtain Money by False Pretense charges to run concurrently for a total sentence of six years and three months. When Blackwell is released in six years, she will have a five-year suspended sentence conditioned on her being on probation for 20 years.

In addition to being fined $3,000, Blackwell will also have to make restitution of more than $350,000 to Liberty Mutual Insurance Company.

The case was investigated by Virginia State Police special agents Gary Hack, Brian Childress and Fred Solomon. Blackwell was prosecuted by Nelson County’s Commonwealth’s Attorney Anthony D. Martin.

Source: Virginia State Police