Man Confesses to Arson in Southern Ocean Residence Incident

According to the Ocean County Prosecutors Office, a Tuckerton man admitted intentionally lighting a house in Little Egg Harbor on fire.

Thomas Lester, 21, entered a guilty plea to aggravated arson and criminal mischief in relation to the house fire that occurred on January 8, 2024.

Lester will be sentenced on November 17, 2025. According to Billhimer, the state is requesting a concurrent sentence of three years in New Jersey State Prison for the aggravated arson charge and twelve months for the criminal mischief charge.

According to Billhimer, Little Egg Harbor police and firefighters were called to a structure fire on National Union Boulevard at approximately 3:19 a.m. on January 8. Firefighters succeeded in putting out the fire.

Authorities concluded that someone had ignited a combustible liquid in the living room, which is how the fire started.

Lester and Edwin Salter, 20, from Little Egg Harbor, were found to have started the fire after a multi-agency inquiry. They were both arrested on March 7, 2024. Lester was freed because of bail reform, while Salter stayed behind bars, according to Billhimer.

On April 28, 2025, Salter entered a guilty plea to aggravated arson. Nov. 15 is also the date of his sentencing. According to Billhimer, he is still being held at Ocean County Jail.