El fiscal del condado de Ocean, Bradley D.. Billhimer anunció que en junio 9, 2025, Charles Maulbeck, 51, del río Toms, pled guilty to Arson before the Honorable Guy P. ryan, P.J.Cr.P., in connection with a fire that occurred in Brick Township on September 13, 2024. Además, Maulbeck pled guilty to an unrelated charge of Criminal Mischief in connection with an incident that occurred in Lacey Township on September 14, 2024. En el momento de su sentencia de julio 25, 2025, el Estado solicitará una pena de tres años en la Prisión Estatal de Nueva Jersey (NJSP) as to the Arson charge and 18 months NJSP as to the Criminal Mischief charge. Las oraciones deben ejecutarse simultáneamente..
En septiembre 13, 2024, while on routine patrol, Brick Township Police Officers observed smoke and heavy fire coming from a residence on Falkenberg Road. 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. Una investigación exhaustiva y extensa realizada por la Unidad de Delitos Mayores-Escuadrón de Incendios Incendiarios de la Oficina del Fiscal del Condado de Ocean, Unidad de Investigación de la Escena del Crimen de la Oficina del Sheriff del Condado de Ocean, Oficina de detectives del Departamento de Policía de Brick Township, and Brick Township Bureau of Fire Safety, revealed that the fire originated in the north side of the split basement of the subject residence; La causa del incendio fue determinada como incendiaria por una persona o personas desconocidas que utilizaron una llama abierta para combustibles disponibles..
Continuing investigation over the next several weeks by the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crime Unit-Arson Squad, Equipo contra delitos de alta tecnología de la Oficina del Fiscal del Condado de Ocean, and Brick Township Police Department Detective Bureau, led to the identification of Maulbeck as the individual responsible for setting the fire in Brick on September 13, 2024.
In the interim, en septiembre 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, which was 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. 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.
En octubre 7, 2024, Maulbeck was served with the Arson charge relative to the September 13th Brick Township fire by way of complaint-warrant at the Ocean County Jail.
Prosecutor Billhimer acknowledges the diligent efforts of Senior Assistant Prosecutor Christopher Heisler and Assistant Prosecutor Julie Peterson who are handling these matters on behalf of the State, and commends the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crime Unit-Arson Squad, Equipo contra delitos de alta tecnología de la Oficina del Fiscal del Condado de Ocean, Oficina de detectives del Departamento de Policía de Brick Township, Unidad de Investigación de la Escena del Crimen de la Oficina del Sheriff del Condado de Ocean, Brick Township Bureau of Fire Safety, and Lacey Township Police Department, for their combined and collective efforts in connection with these investigations leading to Maulbeck’s guilty pleas and soon his state prison sentence.