2 Accused Of Setting Fire To Southern Ocean Home: Prosecutor

LITTLE EGG HARBOR, NJ — Two Southern Ocean men are accused of purposefully setting fire to a Little Egg Harbor home, the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office said.

Thomas Lester, 20, of Tuckerton and Ethan Salter, 19, of Little Egg Harbor, were each charged with aggravated arson, conspiracy to commit aggravated arson, arson, burglary, conspiracy to commit burglary, two counts of criminal mischief and conspiracy to commit criminal mischief in connection with the Jan. 8 fire, said Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer.

At about 2:15 a.m. on Jan. 8, officers and firefighters from Little Egg Harbor were dispatched to a structure fire on National Union Boulevard, Billhimer said. Firefighters were able to extinguish the blaze.

The fire started in the home's living room, officials said, and the cause was determined to be an unknown person or persons igniting combustibles with an open flame.

A multi-agency investigation found that Lester and Salter were responsible for lighting the fire, Billhimer said.

Both were taken into custody on March 7 and remain in Ocean County Jail pending a detention hearing.

Three other incidences of arson were reported in Little Egg Harbor in January. Steven T. Johnson set three separate fires to his neighbor's home, officials previously said. Read more: Man Accused Of Setting 3 Fires At Neighbor's Home In Little Egg Harbor