El fiscal del condado de Ocean, Bradley D.. Billhimer anunció que en noviembre 21, 2025, la Honorable Dina M.. Vicario, J.S.C., sentenced Ethan Salter, 20, del municipio de Little Egg Harbor, a tres años en la prisión estatal de Nueva Jersey (NJSP) relative to his previously entered guilty plea to Aggravated Arson, En relación con un incidente que ocurrió en Little Egg Harbor Township en enero 8, 2024. Asimismo, Judge Vicari sentenced Salter to three years NJSP relative to his previously entered guilty plea to Creating a False Public Alarm in connection with an incident that occurred in Little Egg Harbor Township on December 2, 2023. Las oraciones se ejecutarán simultáneamente.. Salter pled guilty to both charges before Judge Vicari on April 28, 2025.
Además, en noviembre 21, 2025, Judge Vicari sentenced Thomas Lester, 21, de Tuckerton, a tres años en la prisión estatal de Nueva Jersey (NJSP) relative to his previously entered guilty plea to Aggravated Arson in connection with the incident referenced above that occurred in Little Egg Harbor Township on January 8, 2024. Judge Vicari also sentenced Lester to 12 months NJSP relative to his previously entered guilty plea to Criminal Mischief in connection with the same incident. Las oraciones se ejecutarán simultáneamente.. Lester pled guilty to both charges before Judge Vicari on September 29, 2025.
En diciembre 2, 2023, aproximadamente a 5:45 pm., Officers from the Little Egg Harbor Township Police Department were dispatched to the Walmart store for a report of a bomb threat. For safety reasons, the store was evacuated. A search of the premises by the New Jersey State Police Bomb Squad and Ocean County Sheriff’s Office K-9 Unit determined that the threat was not credible. An investigation by Little Egg Harbor Township Police revealed that the threat had been broadcast over the in-store handheld radios utilized by store employees. Further investigation revealed that Salter – a former employee of the store – had stolen a radio and utilized it to make the threat. En diciembre 5, 2023, Salter was taken into custody at his residence without incident. Fue transportado a la cárcel del condado de Ocean y posteriormente liberado como consecuencia de la reforma de la fianza de Nueva Jersey..
En enero 8, 2024, aproximadamente a 3:19 soy., Los departamentos de policía y bomberos de Little Egg Harbor fueron enviados a recibir un informe de un incendio en una estructura en National Union Boulevard.. Los bomberos pudieron extinguir el fuego. 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 del Jefe de Bomberos del Estado de Nueva Jersey, Oficina del Jefe de Bomberos del Condado de Ocean, y Oficina de Detectives del Departamento de Policía de Little Egg Harbor Township, reveló que el fuego se originó en la sala de estar de la estructura; La causa del incendio fue incendiaria por una persona o personas desconocidas que utilizan una llama abierta al líquido influible. Continuing investigation led to the identification of Lester and Salter as the individuals responsible for setting the fire. En marzo 7, 2024, Lester and Salter were taken into custody without incident at their respective residences by Detectives from the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crime Unit-Arson Squad and Little Egg Harbor Township Police Department Detective Bureau and transported to the Ocean County Jail. Lester was released as a consequence of New Jersey Bail Reform. Salter was originally released as a consequence of New Jersey Bail reform but is presently lodged in the Ocean County Jail for violating the terms of his release.
Prosecutor Billhimer acknowledges the diligent efforts of Supervising Assistant Prosecutor Christopher Heisler and Assistant Prosecutor Julie Peterson who handled the case on behalf of the State, y elogia la oficina del fiscal del condado de Ocean Mayor Crime Unit-Arson Squad, Equipo contra delitos de alta tecnología de la Oficina del Fiscal del Condado de Ocean, Departamento de policía del municipio de Little Egg Harbor, Oficina de detectives del departamento de policía del municipio de Little Egg Harbor, Unidad de Investigación de la Escena del Crimen de la Oficina del Sheriff del Condado de Ocean, Unidad K-9 de la Oficina del Sheriff del Condado de Ocean, New Jersey State Police Bomb Squad, Oficina del Jefe de Bomberos del Estado de Nueva Jersey, y la Oficina del Jefe de Bomberos del Condado de Ocean, for their combined and cooperative efforts in connection with these investigations.