Man Charged With Aggravated Arson After Ocean County Fire

Man Charged With Aggravated Arson After Ocean County Fire

Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer announced that Yaakov Stern, 48, of Lakewood, was charged with aggravated arson on September 3, 2026, in connection with a fire reported in Lakewood Township on August 25.

According to authorities, Lakewood Township police and firefighters were called to a structure fire on Delaware Trail at approximately 9:30 p.m. on August 25. Emergency crews arrived to find the building actively burning before successfully extinguishing the fire.

An investigation conducted by the Lakewood Township Police Department Detective Bureau identified Stern as the person allegedly responsible for setting the fire, officials said.

Stern was arrested by Lakewood detectives on September 3 and taken to the Ocean County Jail, where he remains held pending a detention hearing.

Prosecutor Billhimer praised the Lakewood Township Police Department Detective Bureau, the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crime Unit-Arson Squad, the Ocean County Fire Marshal’s Office and the Ocean County Sheriff’s Office Crime Scene Investigation Unit for their work on the case.

The charges are allegations only. Stern is presumed innocent unless and until he is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in court.