LAKEWOOD – A Toms River man has admitted to setting his former work place on fire as well as attempting to steal a bike, officials said.
Jorge Euxaque-Ballesteros, 26, pled guilty to Attempted Theft and Aggravated Arson in connection with two separate incidents that occurred in Lakewood Township on April 9, 2021 and January 19, 2022.
At the time of Euxaque-Ballesteros’ sentencing on May 19, the State will be seeking a term of five years New Jersey State Prison as to each offense; the sentences are to run concurrently.
Residents on Congress Street reported to police on April 9, 2021, that an unknown man attempted to steal a bicycle that was locked up at the home. After providing a description of the suspect, police later found a man who fit the description in a nearby wooded area.
The man was identified as Euxaque-Ballesteros and was placed under arrest and brought to the Ocean County Jail. He was subsequently released as a consequence of New Jersey Bail Reform.
Officers from the Lakewood Township Police Department and Lakewood Township Fire Department were dispatched to a business on Cross Street around 2 a.m. January 19, 2022, after receiving notification from the sprinkler system alarm.
Police discovered flames coming from the basement of the building, and firefighters were able to swiftly extinguish the fire.
It was later determined by police that the cause of the fire was incendiary, an unknown person used an open flame to ignite cardboard and paper in the basement. Subsequently, police linked Euxaque-Ballesteros to be responsible. Euxaque-Ballesteros was a former employee of the business and was recently terminated from the company.
Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer acknowledged the efforts of Senior Assistant Prosecutor Meghan O’Neill and Senior Assistant Prosecutor Jamie Schron who handled the cases on behalf of the State, as well as the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Arson Squad, Ocean County Fire Marshal’s Office, Lakewood Police, Lakewood Police Detective Bureau, Toms River Police, and Ocean County Sheriff’s Office Crime Scene Investigation Unit, for their cooperative assistance in connection with both investigations resulting in Euxaque-Ballesteros’s apprehension, guilty pleas, and soon his state prison sentence.
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