By LANA MUTHLER

lmuthler@lockhaven.com

LOCK HAVEN — An already convicted arsonist has been charged with setting five fires in the city within the last four days. James Arnold Brown, 52, of 216 E. Water St., Lock Haven, was arrested by city police early Wednesday morning, minutes after he allegedly set fire to a chair on the front porch of a neighbor, David Nestlerode, of 222 E. Water St.

That’s the fifth fire Brown is charged with since Sunday, when four fires, two of them at the Fallon Hotel, called out local firefighters. All are arson, police said.

During his arraignment Wednesday afternoon, Brown told District Judge Keith Kibler that he has been convicted of arson on two previous occasions.

“I served seven years at Camp Hill for arson during the Camp Hill riots,” Brown said matter-of-factly.

He also was charged with arson last July for a fire at Kephart Plaza and was sentenced to nine months in the county jail and three years probation.

In the latest string of arsons, city police charged Brown with three counts of arson, two counts of arson endangering property, two counts of risking a catastrophe and one count each of criminal mischief and recklessly endangering another person.

Kibler set bail at $150,000, telling Brown “with your most recent conviction of arson, I believe you are a substantial risk to the community.”

Look for more information in Thursday’s Edition of The Express.