A man from Glen Ridge, New Jersey recently pleaded guilty to arson charges after accepting a plea agreement from the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office.
18-year-old James Fiol, who was originally facing charges for arson, criminal mischief, and weapons offenses, admitted to having thrown a Molotov cocktail at a residence on Clinton Road in Glen Ridge on August 11th. A Molotov cocktail is defined as “a crude incendiary device typically consisting of a bottle filled with flammable liquid and with a means of ignition.”
Officers from the Glen Ridge Police Department, who reported that the fire did not result in any injuries or cause significant damage to the residence, arrested Fiol following an investigation. They did not identify any prior relationship between Fiol and those living in the home.
According to the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, Fiol pleaded guilty to arson in the third degree in exchange for the dismissal of the other charges against him. He will be sentenced to one month of probation, per the terms of the agreement. He is also subject to restitutionpayments to compensate for the damage resulting from the fire.
Arson is codified under N.J.S.A. 2C:17-1, and is classified as a crime of the third degree, which is punishable by a term of incarceration of up to 5 years in New Jersey State Prison. Considering the potential penalties associated with arson offenses as well as the other charges that Fiol was facing, he received what can be considered a generous plea agreement from officials in Essex County.
For more information pertaining to this case, access the following article: Glen Ridge man admits throwing Molotov cocktail, pleads guilty to arson charge
