Ocean County Man Charged in Aggravated Arson and Burglary Case

Ocean County Man Charged in Aggravated Arson and Burglary Case

According to the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office, Matthew Waldman, 21, of Plumsted Township, was charged on October 11, 2026, with Aggravated Arson, Arson, two counts of Burglary, and Aggravated Assault on a Firefighter. The charges stem from a structure fire that occurred in Plumsted Township on October 10, 2026.

At approximately 4:30 p.m. on October 10, 2026, the Plumsted Township Fire and Police Departments responded to a report of a fire at an abandoned residence on Maple Avenue. Upon arrival, emergency personnel discovered that a detached garage at the rear of the property was engulfed in flames. While firefighters worked to extinguish the blaze, a female firefighter sustained an injury to her hand. She was transported to Capital Health at Deborah in Browns Mills for treatment and was later released.

An investigation conducted by the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crime Unit-Arson Squad, the Plumsted Township Police Department Detective Bureau, the Ocean County Fire Marshal’s Office, and the Ocean County Sheriff’s Office Crime Scene Investigation Unit determined that Waldman had been unlawfully residing in the house near the detached garage and was responsible for setting the fire.

Waldman was arrested without incident at Plumsted Township Police Headquarters and subsequently transported to the Ocean County Jail, where he remains in custody pending a detention hearing.

Prosecutor Billhimer praised the participating agencies for their coordinated efforts and collaboration throughout the investigation. The charges are accusations only. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.