Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer announced that on June 9, 2025, Charles Maulbeck, 51, of Toms River, 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. Additionally, Maulbeck pled guilty to an unrelated charge of Criminal Mischief in connection with an incident that occurred in Lacey Township on September 14, 2024. At the time of his sentencing on July 25, 2025, the State will be seeking a term of three years New Jersey State Prison (NJSP) as to the Arson charge and 18 months NJSP as to the Criminal Mischief charge. The sentences are to run concurrently.
On September 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. A thorough and extensive 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 September 13, 2024.
In the interim, on September 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.
On October 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, Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office High Tech Crime Squad, Brick Township Police Department Detective Bureau, Ocean County Sheriff’s Office Crime Scene Investigation Unit, 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.