October 28, 2008: A Morris County Grand Jury returned a seven count indictment charging Wharton resident Charles Wallace, age 51, with:

One Count of Second Degree Aggravated Arson
One Count of Second Degree Attempt to Commit Aggravated Arson
One Count of Second Degree Burglary
One Count of Third Degree Criminal Mischief
One Count of Fourth Degree Criminal Mischief
One Count of Third Degree Possession of a Weapon for Unlawful Purposes
One Count of Fourth Degree Unlawful Possession of a Weapon

The charges stem from an incident which occurred on June 25, 2008. At approximately 1:08 am, Denville Township Police responded to a residence on Corey Road on a report of a suspicious male that had damaged the property of the homeowner. Upon arrival, Denville Police discovered a vehicle with a front passenger tire punctured and an odor of gasoline. A further investigation revealed numerous items of evidentiary value that were gathered from the scene.

This matter was jointly investigated by the Morris County Prosecutor's Office Arson Unit, the Morris County Sheriff's Office Criminal Investigations Section and the Denville Township Police Department.

If convicted of all charges, Wallace faces a maximum potential custodial sentence of approximately 25 years in New Jersey State Prison.

Despite these pending charges, every defendant is presumed innocent, unless and until found guilty beyond a reasonable doubt following a jury trial at which the defendant has all of his rights guaranteed by the U.S. and New Jersey Constitutions and relevant state law.

This case is being handled by Assistant Prosecutor Bradford Seabury, Esq.

Media Contact: Agent Robyn D'Onofrio