71-Year-Old Danbury Man Charged With Setting Fires in New York

DANBURY, CT — A Danbury man has been charged with arson for a series of fires the Putnam County Sheriff's Office said he set in Southeast, NY.

Frederick Delfay, 71, confessed to setting the fires after he was interviewed by investigators on Dec. 6, according to Sheriff Kevin J. McConville.

The investigation began on Nov. 27, when deputies responded to a report of a brush fire on Old Milltown Road. Brewster, NY, Fire Department members advised the deputies they had responded to an unusual number of similar fires in the area over the past year.

With the assistance of a Dutchess County Sheriff's Office arson detection K9, it was determined that an accelerant was used at some of the fires, according to McConville.

Investigators consulted Putnam County 911 dispatchers to gather a list of the brush fire calls on that road and developed a suspect, according to the police report. Investigators then began surveillance of the area, which led them to Delfay.

The Danbury man was charged with five counts of fifth-degree arson, a Class A misdemeanor. Delfay was released and is scheduled to appear before the Town of Southeast Court.