ALPINE — David Mathew Neet, 45, entered a plea of not guilty to felony arson at a Friday morning arraignment in Brewster County District Court and was released from custody after a change in his bond.
Neet was arrested on July 5 on 20 counts of arson, second-degree felonies, in connection with a series of brush fires that took place throughout the Alpine area over the course of months and possibly up to two years, according to an arrest warrant affidavit from the Brewster County Sheriff’s Department. Investigative work by the sheriff’s department — including security camera footage, a tracking device pinpointing Neet near a fire, and physical evidence (fireworks) — allegedly linked Neet to the fires, according to the affidavit.
Neet previously served as an Alpine volunteer firefighter and a crew member of the 1st Response EMS team, which provides nonemergency medical transport. He was held on a $300,000 bond in the Brewster County Jail until his release on Friday, after his public defender — Far West Texas Regional Public Defender — secured a personal recognizance (PR) bond from a district court judge. A PR bond allows the defendant to avoid paying any money for the bond with a promise to appear in court.
Neet entered a plea of not guilty and told the court he would be living in El Paso while legal proceedings continue. He was indicted in September on one count of arson, but the remaining 19 counts can still be considered by prosecutors and the courts for convictions or in the penalty phase of court proceedings. If convicted, Neet could face two to 20 years in prison and/or fines up to $10,000.