2020 house fire leads to arson, child neglect and insurance fraud charges for Scranton woman

A Scranton woman who allegedly lit her Wall Lake home on fire with her two-year old inside in an effort to commit insurance fraud has been charged with first degree arson for a second time. The fire occurred two years ago in Jan. of 2020 after Melissa Dopheide was informed via a court order she was being evicted. The blaze mysteriously arose on the day she, her son and her then live-in roommate, Andrew Wempe were legally required to vacate the premises.

Dopheide, 40, was arrested by a Greene County sheriff deputy at 7:56 a.m. Monday, May 2 at a building on Cedar Street in Scranton for a Sac County warrant, nearly two years after the criminal case was initially dismissed.

Dopheide was initially arrested on April 13, 2020 for first degree arson of the home she was renting at 124 Center Street in Wall Lake.

Click for full article