A former Monmouth County resident was convicted on Friday of starting a pair of fires and firing a BB gun at a real estate agency in Holmdel Township, authorities said.
Leonard J. Mazzarisi, III, 32, was convicted of aggravated second degree arson, illegal possession of a second degree weapon for illegal purposes and illegal possession of a third degree weapon after a 5-year trial. weeks, according to the Monmouth County Attorney’s Office.
The incidents began on August 19, 2017, when Holmdel police responded to a report of possible arson at 51 Main Street, the site of the Neuhaus real estate agency, officials said.
Evidence collected there suggests that a fire that damaged part of the rear of the building was intentionally started, authorities said.
An investigation determined that the fire was deliberately started by a man captured by CCTV cameras on August 17, 2017.
Five months later, on January 27, 2018, Holmdel Police responded to a second fire at the same location on Main Street, finding thick smoke and fire emanating from the rear of the building, which suffered extensive damage , officials said.
Investigators found that the second fire was also an act of arson, closely resembling the August 2017 blaze.
In a third incident, on May 29, 2018, Holmdel police were dispatched to the agency’s new location on South Holmdel Road, following a report of a BB gun rifle in the building. announced the authorities.
Investigators again examined surveillance video, which determined that Mazzarisi was the man responsible for firing the BB gun into the building and that he was driving a car that matched the vehicle seen in the video during the arson January 2018 at the former Neuhaus Realty location, officials said. .
The next day, May 30, 2018, Mazzarisi was found at a hotel in Fredericksburg, Virginia, where he was arrested on pending warrants arising from the investigation.
Mazzarisi was held at Rappahannock Regional Jail in Stafford, Virginia until he was extradited to New Jersey on June 12, 2018 to face charges.
Mazzarisi is due to return for the delivery of his sentence before Superior Court judge Lourdes Lucas on October 8.
He faces up to 20 years in New Jersey State Prison on charges.
The motive for the crimes has not been made public.
The case is referred to Monmouth County Assistant District Attorney Anthony Puglisi.
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