Northfield Woman Receives Jail Time, $7,000 Fine for Home Arson

A Northfield woman on Wednesday was sentenced to 180 days in Rice County Jail and fined $7,000 for her role in a fire that destroyed her Northfield house on Lockwood Drive in June 2009.

Karlyn Ann Carlson, 40, was found guilty in March 2012 of first-degree aiding and abetting arson and insurance fraud, both felonies. Carlson also received five years of supervised probation.

Rice County Judge Christine A. Long ordered a stay of imposition, which means if Carlson succesfully completes all conditions of her probation, she can avoid a stiffer sentence, including serving prison time. Carlson was also ordered to receive psychological evaluation and begin individual therapy for mental health treatment within 30 days of her release from jail. 

Carlson is scheduled to report to jail Oct. 8 and is granted work release.

Carlson’s boyfriend, , was convicted last year for first-degree arson for burning the house down. He was sentenced to 36 months in prison.

According to the criminal complaint filed in Rice County District Court:

In May 2009, law enforcement were investigating Stauffacher for selling stolen goods online.

Police received and executed a search warrant for 421 Lockwood Dr., where police confiscated several items, many of which had been reported stolen within the past year, including a wall oven, refrigerator and wine cabinet.

Two days later, were dispatched to the same address at 3:32 a.m. The house was engulfed in flames.

The house, valued at $135,000, according to Rice County property records, was a total loss.

The fire was intentional, according to the deputy state fire marshal. Two plastic fuel cans were found in a hallway and a clear line of fuel ran from one end of the house to the other. The complaint says Carlson had recently rented a storage unit, where police found many items of value or items with sentimental value.

Within 12 hours of the house burning down, Carlson called her insurance company to report the fire. Carlson later refused to provide the insurance company with basic information, the company told the police.

Eight days following the fire, police arrested Stauffacher on the stolen goods charges.

According to the complaint, officers said Stauffacher’s eyebrows appeared short and discolored and different from when they searched his home on May 28.

Police said it also appeared that Stauffacher had dyed his hair and shaved his torso. He also had reddened skin around his neck, a blister-like mark on his right thumb and a pink sore on his right index finger, police say.

The following day, the complaint says, police collected hair samples from Stauffacher’s right hand, eyebrows and eyelashes. A forensic scientist determined the hairs had been burnt or singed.

Stauffacher said he acted alone and that Carlson didn't know about the fire.

Follow Northfield Patch on Twitter | Like us on Facebook | Sign up for our daily newsletter