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3 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Standing guard ... City gears up for hearings on future growth ... Medford School District on the hunt for teachers ... Standing guard ... City gears up for hearings on future growth ... Medford School District on the hunt for teachers ... CRIME Ashland man accused of setting mother's Talent house ablaze Comment By Thomas Moriarty Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Thomas Moriarty Mail Tribune Posted Jul. 21, 2015 at 2:04 PM Updated Jul 21, 2015 at 5:16 PM By Thomas Moriarty Mail Tribune Posted Jul. 21, 2015 at 2:04 PM Updated Jul 21, 2015 at 5:16 PM » Social News Oregon State Police detectives Saturday arrested a 53-year-old Ashland man for allegedly setting fire to his mother's Talent home last winter in what court documents described as an insurance fraud scheme. According to an affidavit filed in Jackson County Circuit Court by an OSP arson investigator, Jeffrey Lynn Kenton told a friend he had tried to make it look like his mother had started the fire by leaving her curling iron on in her downstairs bathroom.  Firefighters from Jackson County Fire District 5 responded to the fire, in the 300 block of South Second Street, shortly after 1 p.m. Jan. 9 after a passerby reported smoke pouring from the structure. A neighbor reportedly risked his own safety by kicking in the door of the home to warn any occupants, but Talent police said nobody was in the building when firefighters arrived on scene. Fire Chief Darin Welburn said it took fire crews about 15 minutes to knock down the flames, which caused extensive heat and smoke damage to the home. According to the affidavit, Kenton allegedly told his friend that she could make extra money by taking out rental insurance, explaining that "he has experience doing it." She told investigators she later saw him selling his mother's jewelry, taken from the home before the fire, on the street for about $1,500. Court records show Kenton has numerous prior felony convictions in Jackson County, ranging from first-degree theft to racketeering. In 2010, he was convicted of theft by extortion after he and a Medford woman blackmailed a married man out of $4,100 by threatening to disclose the man's extramarital affair to his wife. Kenton recently pleaded guilty in March to a misdemeanor charge of failure to perform the duties of a driver, stemming from a February incident in which he crashed his pickup into an outbuilding of the Black Bear Diner on East Barnett Road when he noticed a police officer following him. Kenton is being held in the Jackson County Jail on $200,000 bail on a charge of first-degree arson. If convicted, he faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 90 months in prison under Measure 11 guidelines. Reach reporter Thomas Moriarty at 541-776-4471, or by email at [email protected] . Follow him at @ThomasDMoriarty . By Thomas Moriarty Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Thomas Moriarty Mail Tribune Posted Jul. 21, 2015 at 2:04 PM Updated Jul 21, 2015 at 5:16 PM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... Business Name address Location, ST | website.com Find Southern Oregon Attractions Bars Restaurants Beauty Salons Entertainment Doctors Medical Specialists Contractors Education Lawn Services Lawyers Shopping Travel Tanning Used Cars Wedding Services ▼ Add your business here + Events Calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2015 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. MailTribune.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501