SEVERNA PARK, Md. — A Severna Park man was sentenced to 18 months in prison on Friday for setting his neighbor's unoccupied home on fire.
Aaron Keel, 60, pleaded guilty to first-degree arson for setting the fire, according to the Anne Arundel County Fire Department.
On April 13, firefighters responded to a call about the fire in the Belhaven Court area.
After the fire was extinguished, investigators determined that the flames were intentionally set using an "external ignition source."
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Investigators identified Keel as the suspect after reviewing surveillance footage, which showed Keel entering the house through a wooded area behind the home and discarding items in a dumpster outside Oak Hill Elementary School.
Retail surveillance footage also revealed Keel shopping at four different home improvement stores in the Glen Burnie and Bowie areas, where he purchased a single red gas can and a pump sprayer.
Fire investigators believe Keel set the fire because of disagreements about homeowners' association matters. The victim was a board member of the association.
Following his release from prison, Keel will serve five years of supervised probation and must pay $1,000 in restitution to cover the victim's homeowner's insurance deductible.
Keel must also participate in mental health and anger management treatment and avoid contact with the victim.
As part of his plea agreement, the court added harassment charges stemming from incidents that occurred before the arson.
Keel will face "significant backup time" in jail if he violates the terms of his probation, the judge said.
