Lacey Man Charged After Setting His Own Rental Home on Fire

A Lacey Township man has been charged with arson after authorities determined that he set furniture in his own rental home on fire this week.

Taquan Shelton, 43, is being held in the Ocean County jail until his detention hearing.

Tenant Lights Own Home on Fire

The Ocean County Prosecutor says that Lacey Police and fire cuits were called to a home on fire units were called to a home on Hillwood Road this Wednesday at 1:05 pm for the report of a residential fire.

The fire crew found furniture in the apartment on fire and was able to extinguish it.

After an investigation by several local and state fire agencies, officials determined that the fire had been intentionally started.

In a Facebook post from the Prosecutor's office, they detailed how the fire was set.

...the origin of the fire was a couch and ottoman located in the living room, and the cause of the fire was incendiary by an unknown person using an open flame to ignitable liquid.

The investigation focused on Shelton, the home's tenant, as the person who set the fire.

Suspect Faces Charges

Taquan Shelton has been charged with aggravated arson.

In New Jersey, aggravated arson is a second-degree crime with penalties of 5 to 10 years in jail, fines of up to $150,000, and a sentence that requires serving 85% of the time given before parole eligibility under the No Early Release Act.