Toms River Man Receives Prison Sentence for Multiple Serious Crimes

Charles F. Maulbeck, 51, of Toms River

Toms River Man Receives Prison Sentence for Multiple Serious Crimes

On July 25, 2025, Charles Maulbeck, 51, of Toms River, was sentenced to three years New Jersey State Prison (NJSP) relative to his previously entered guilty plea to Aggravated Assault in connection with an incident that occurred in Lacey Township on April 9, 2024.

According to the OCPO, Judge Ryan sentenced Maulbeck to three years NJSP relative to his previously entered guilty plea to Arson in connection with an unrelated fire that occurred in Brick Township on September 13, 2024.

Finally, Judge Ryan sentenced Maulbeck to 18 months NJSP relative to his previously entered guilty plea to Criminal Mischief in connection with an unrelated incident that occurred in Lacey Township on September 14, 2024. The sentences will run concurrently.

Maulbeck pled guilty to the Aggravated Assault charge before Judge Ryan on July 8, 2024; he pled guilty to the Arson and Criminal Mischief charges before Judge Ryan on June 9, 2025.

On April 9, 2024, Officers from the Lacey Township Police Department responded to Dollar General on South Main Street in reference to an individual claiming to have been assaulted.

Responding Officers found a male, identified as Maulbeck, with minor injuries to his face and arms. Maulbeck was transported to Community Medical Center for treatment. Further investigation into the incident by Lacey Township Police Officers revealed that Maulbeck had appeared at a residence on Stuyvesant Street earlier on that date and confronted the homeowner.

An altercation occurred between Maulbeck and the homeowner; Maulbeck struck the homeowner with an axe, left the area, and walked to Dollar General where he contacted the police. The victim sustained minor injuries and refused medical treatment. Upon his release from the hospital, Maulbeck was charged with assaulting the homeowner victim and taken into custody without incident. He was transported to the Ocean County Jail and subsequently released as a consequence of New Jersey Bail Reform.

On September 13, 2024, while on routine patrol, Brick Township Police Officers observed smoke and heavy fire coming from a residence on Falkenberg Road.

During fire suppression efforts, three firefighters were injured. One of the firefighters declined medical attention at the scene, and two others were treated at a local medical facility and released.

A thorough and extensive investigation conducted by the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crime Unit-Arson Squad, Ocean County Sheriff’s Office Crime Scene Investigation Unit, Brick Township Police Department Detective Bureau, and Brick Township Bureau of Fire Safety, revealed that the fire originated in the north side of the split basement of the subject residence; the cause of the fire was determined to be incendiary by an unknown person or persons utilizing an open flame to available combustibles.

Continuing investigation over the next several weeks by the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crime Unit-Arson Squad, Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office High Tech Crime Squad, and Brick Township Police Department Detective Bureau, led to the identification of Maulbeck as the individual responsible for setting the fire in Brick on September 13, 2024.

In the interim, on September 14, 2024, Officers from the Lacey Township Police Department responded to a residence on Stuyvesant Street for a report of criminal mischief. An investigation by responding Officers determined that a motor vehicle, which was parked at the residence, had a smashed rear window.

Continuing investigation revealed that Maulbeck had taken a rock and smashed the window of the vehicle before leaving the area. Maulbeck was located in the vicinity of the residence and taken into custody without incident. He was transported to the Ocean County Jail where he has been detained since that date.

On October 7, 2024, Maulbeck was served with the Arson charge relative to the September 13th Brick Township fire by way of complaint-warrant at the Ocean County Jail.