TOMS RIVER — A Toms River man has pleaded guilty to setting a fire last year, as well as an unrelated act of criminal mischief in Lacey Township, Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer said.
51-year-old Charles Maulbeck entered guilty pleas on June 9 before Superior Court Judge Guy P. Ryan to one count of arson and one count of criminal mischief. Prosecutors will seek a three-year sentence in New Jersey State Prison for the arson charge and 18 months for the criminal mischief charge, to run concurrently. Sentencing is scheduled for July 25.
On September 13, 2024, Brick Township police on patrol spotted heavy smoke and fire at a residence on Falkenberg Road. During firefighting efforts, three firefighters sustained injuries; one declined treatment, while the others were treated and released from a local medical facility.
Investigators determined the fire originated on the north side of a split basement and was intentionally set using an open flame and available combustibles. A joint investigation by the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Arson Squad, High Tech Crime Squad, the Sheriff’s Crime Scene Unit, Brick Township Police, and Fire Safety Bureau led to the identification of Maulbeck as the arsonist.
One day later, on September 14, 2024, Lacey Township police responded to a home on Stuyvesant Street, where a parked vehicle had its rear window smashed. Investigators determined that Maulbeck had used a rock to break the window before fleeing. He was located nearby and arrested without incident.
Maulbeck has remained in custody at the Ocean County Jail since his arrest and was formally charged with arson on October 7, 2024.
Prosecutor Billhimer credited the collaborative efforts of law enforcement agencies involved and commended Senior Assistant Prosecutor Christopher Heisler and Assistant Prosecutor Julie Peterson for handling the case on behalf of the state.
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