Treatment is a large part of the sentence of a Jones County woman who pled guilty to the charge of arson.
Amanda Danielle Drye was in Jones County Superior Court Feb. 19 to enter a negotiated guilty plea. She was sentenced to 20 years for the offense of arson in the first degree. The first portion of the sentence will be served in confinement at an integrated treatment facility program. The remainder of sentence may be served on probation.
The defendant will receive credit for time served from Sept. 9, 2025, to the date she entered the plea. Drye, 37, was arrested at the scene of the fire Sept. 9. In addition to arson, she was charged with misdemeanor obstruction of law enforcement officers and a probation violation.
In his report of the arrest, Jones County Sheriff’s Deputy Christopher Dominguez stated he was dispatched to a residence on Largo Drive in reference to a structure fire. The home was fully engulfed in flames when he arrived at the scene.
The deputy spoke to people in the area to find out if anyone was inside. He said as he approached the home, he saw a woman, later identified as Drye, between the trees coming from next door.
The woman told him she had lit a candle and she was sorry.
Dominguez said he asked about her husband and children. She said her husband was not there and the children were in school. The deputy said he asked her to wait on the corner of the driveway, but when he turned around, she was across the street.
At that point he placed her in his patrol car and went back to working the scene.
Dominguez said he created a police line with yellow tape and checked with family at the scene about the location of the children. He also requested an investigator at the scene.
He said JCSO Deputy Albert Elliot and Lt. Kasey Carr arrived. Dominguez said he briefed Carr about the encounter with Drye, and he went to speak to her. Another deputy was sent to confirm the children were in school.
Dominguez said he spoke to another family member at the scene who said he was told by Drye that she set the house on fire. She was reportedly seen breaking the windows of the home with an object that looked like a bat.
Drye also confessed to the arson when she spoke to Carr.
A post on the Jones County Sheriff’s Office Facebook page stated that Drye was arrested and was being held without bond. The sheriff praised the quick actions of Dominguez and thanked the Jones County Fire Department.
“Great work by Deputy Dominguez for his quick actions on scene. While he has only been on the road for a short time, he is learning quickly and jumping right in on big cases. We also want to thank the Jones County Fire Department and other first responders for their fast response and hard work in battling the blaze and keeping everyone safe.”
