FARMINGTON — A Jay woman accused of setting fire to her mobile home on BJ’s Lane in Jay twice in August 2011, pleaded guilty Wednesday to aggravated criminal mischief in Franklin County Superior Court.

Amanda Morey, 29, entered an Alford plea in the case.

This type of plea means the court will find a person guilty but the defendant admits no guilt or innocence in a case under the belief that if the case went to trial with the state’s evidence presented, he or she would be found guilty.

Morey was indicted in September 2011 on an arson charge that the state reduced to the aggravated criminal mischief charge in Wednesday’s plea agreement.

If the case went to trial, a state fire investigator would testify that he responded to a fire at a mobile home on Aug. 4, 2011, in Jay to assist the Jay Fire Rescue Department, Assistant District Attorney James Andrews said.

The investigator would testify that the fire appeared to start inside the home owned by Amanda Morey and her husband. Initially it was believed the fire was caused by smoking but Amanda Morey, who was the only one home, denied she was smoking. The investigator left the cause as undetermined, Andrews said.

The next day, police and firefighters were called to the same residence by Morey reporting another fire.

A Jay police officer, first on the scene, would testify that he observed what appeared to be two different fires going. The fire on the first day heavily damaged the mobile home. The fire on the second day caused minimal damage, Andrews said.

A second state fire investigator would testify regarding the second fire that the blaze from the previous day would not have rekindled, Andrews said.

The home is co-owned with her husband and is located in close proximity to other mobile homes, Andrews said.

The state and defense attorney, Kevin Joyce and Morey entered a plea agreement that called for a two-year deferred disposition.

The agreement was based on a forensic evaluation, Andrews said. The doctor who did the evaluation outlined a list of treatments for Morey to undergo, he said.

If Morey successfully completes the disposition the charge would be reduced to a misdemeanor criminal mischief, he said.

Morey has no criminal record, Andrews said.

This incident occurred in the midst of a highly contested child custody case that resulted in having her rights to her children terminated by the state, he said. There is also evidence that Morey has undergone significant abuse in her life, he said.

Morey has already completed the treatment recommended in the report and continues to follow the doctor’s advice, Joyce said.

Justice Michaela Murphy told Morey that if she doesn’t successfully complete the disposition, she faces up to five years in prison.

dperry@sunjournal.com