Aiken Firebug Arrested in Crosland Park Fires; Suspect Just Released from Prison for Arson

Aiken investigators have arrested a career criminal in a series of fires that damaged four homes, including two that were total losses.

Jesse Andra Green, 35, of Aiken, was charged Tuesday with three counts of arson in the second degree and one count of arson in the third degree.

It wasn’t hard to pin the fires on Green. He was just released from prison after serving a few years for a 2013 arson and burglary in Aiken County. Green also had connections with several of the fire victims. And in one case, he was the first person to step forward as witness to the fire.

Aiken Public Safety officials say they confronted Green after realizing he was out of prison and frequented the Crosland Park neighborhood. The suspect confessed to starting the fires, police say.

Green has a list of arrests a mile long, mostly for disorderly conduct, trespassing, shoplifting and gross intoxication in Aiken County. He also has a two previous arson charges on his record from 2013. In those arson cases, he pled guilty and prosecutors dropped one arson count. A judge gave him a four-year prison sentence with five years of probation. He did not serve the whole four years.

In the Crosland Park neighborhood, Green’s accused of causing the  following fires:

• At 2:30 a.m. May 16,  Aiken Public Safety responded to 655 Aldrich Street in reference to a structure fire. Upon extinguishment of the fire it was determined the fire was suspicious in nature. Fire investigators determined the fire was intentionally set on the outside of the structure near the back door. The home was a total loss.
• At 9 a.m. May 9, Aiken Public Safety responded to 106 Brentwood Place in reference to damage to property. Officers located a grill near the backdoor, and the cover to the grill had been intentionally set on fire. The fire burned itself out prior to reaching the residence.
• At 5:30 a.m. May 1, Aiken Public Safety responded to 104 Brentwood Place in reference to a structure fire. Upon extinguishment of the fire it was determined the fire was suspicious in nature. Fire investigators determined the fire was intentionally set on the outside of the structure near the back door. The home was a total loss.
• At 11:30 p.m. April 18, Aiken Public Safety responded to 1216 George Street in reference to a structure fire. Follow-up investigation determined the fire was intentionally set on the outside of the residence near the back door. Damage was severe, but not a total loss.

Aiken Public Safety investigators were assisted in the investigation and subsequent arrest by the Aiken County Sheriff’s Office Forensics Unit. Green will have additional charges by Aiken County Sheriff’s Office for incidents which occurred within their jurisdiction.

For more crime news, pick up this week’s edition of The Jail Report.