Dawn Hulse Previously Pled Guilty to Arson in the Second Degree

Orange County District Attorney David M. Hoovler announced that Dawn Hulse, age 53, of Port Jervis, was sentenced to nine (9) years in prison to be followed by five (5) years of post-release supervision in connection with her previous guilty plea in Orange County Court to Arson in the Second Degree.

As alleged in documents filed and statements made in court, on January 25, 2022 Hulse lit several fires in the first floor apartment of a two family house in the City of Port Jervis after having turned off the smoke detector at the fuse box in the basement and barricaded the door to the apartment.  The upstairs residents of the apartment heard an explosion, which was a result of bug spray Hulse had placed in her oven and turned on.  At the plea, Hulse admitted to starting a fire at the residence while knowing or there was a person inside.

District Attorney Hoovler thanked the City of Port Jervis Police Department for their investigation which led to the arrest of Hulse.

“Arson is an insidious crime that is, by its nature, particularly challenging to investigate,” said District Attorney David M. Hoovler. “These crimes pose substantial risks to life and property and the offenders who commit these crimes must be held accountable for their dangerous actions.  I commend the work of the City of Port Jervis Police Department whose investigation led to the arrest and successful prosecution of this defendant.  My Office continues to focus on arson crimes and will utilize all available expertise and resources to prosecute these cases.”

The case is being prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorney Jessica Dovico.

This criminal charge is merely an allegation that a defendant has committed a violation of the criminal law, and it is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the State of New York’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.