TOMS RIVER — Charles Maulbeck, 51, of Toms River, pled guilty on June 9 to arson in connection with a fire that occurred in Brick Township on Sept. 13, 2024, according to a release by Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer.
Additionally, Maulbeck pled guilty to an unrelated charge of criminal mischief in connection with an incident that occurred in Lacey Township on Sept. 14, 2024.
At the time of his sentencing on July 25, the state will be seeking a sentence of three years in New Jersey State Prison for the arson charge and 18 months on the criminal mischief charge. The sentences are to run concurrently.
On Sept. 13, 2024, while on routine patrol, Brick Township police officers observed smoke and heavy fire coming from a residence on Falkenberg Road.
According to the release, during fire suppression efforts, three firefighters were injured. One of the firefighters declined medical attention at the scene and two others were treated at a local medical facility and released.
An investigation conducted by the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crime Unit-Arson Squad, Ocean County Sheriff’s Office Crime Scene Investigation Unit, Brick Township Police Department Detective Bureau and Brick Township Bureau of Fire Safety, revealed that the fire originated in the north side of the split basement of the subject residence; the cause of the fire was determined to be incendiary by an unknown person or persons utilizing an open flame to available combustibles.
Continuing investigation over the next several weeks by the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crime Unit-Arson Squad, Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office High Tech Crime Squad, and Brick Township Police Department Detective Bureau, led to the identification of Maulbeck as the individual responsible for setting the fire in Brick on Sept. 13, 2024, according to the release.
In the interim, on Sept. 14, 2024, officers from the Lacey Township Police Department responded to a residence on Stuyvesant Street for a report of criminal mischief. An investigation by responding officers determined that a motor vehicle parked at the residence had a smashed rear window.
Continuing investigation revealed that Maulbeck had taken a rock and smashed the window of the vehicle before leaving the area, according to the release.
Maulbeck was located in the vicinity of the residence and taken into custody without incident. He was transported to the Ocean County Jail where he has been detained since that date.
On Oct. 7, 2024, Maulbeck was served with the arson charge related to the Sept. 13, 2024 Brick Township fire by way of complaint-warrant at the Ocean County Jail.
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