A Toms River man has been sentenced to three years in New Jersey State Prison following multiple guilty pleas to charges stemming from separate incidents in Lacey and Brick Townships, Ocean County Prosecutor Brad Billhimer announced Friday.
Charles Maulbeck, 51, received concurrent sentences from Judge Guy P. Ryan, including three years for aggravated assault, three years for arson, and 18 months for criminal mischief.
The aggravated assault conviction relates to an incident on April 9, 2024, when Lacey Township police responded to a report of an assault at a Dollar General on South Main Street. Officers found Maulbeck with minor injuries. Investigation revealed that earlier that day, Maulbeck had gone to a residence on Stuyvesant Street, confronted the homeowner, and struck him with an axe during an altercation. The homeowner sustained minor injuries and declined medical attention. Maulbeck was treated at Community Medical Center and later taken into custody. He was released shortly thereafter under New Jersey’s bail reform policies.
Maulbeck’s arson conviction stems from a September 13, 2024, fire in Brick Township. Brick police officers on routine patrol observed heavy smoke and flames coming from a residence on Falkenberg Road. Three firefighters sustained injuries during suppression efforts. An investigation involving multiple agencies, including the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Arson Squad and the Brick Township Bureau of Fire Safety, determined the fire was intentionally set using an open flame and available combustibles. Investigators later identified Maulbeck as the person responsible.
The third conviction for criminal mischief occurred on September 14, 2024, when Lacey Township police responded again to a residence on Stuyvesant Street for a report of property damage. Officers found that the rear window of a vehicle had been smashed with a rock. Maulbeck was located nearby and taken into custody without incident. He has remained at the Ocean County Jail since that arrest.
Maulbeck pled guilty to aggravated assault on July 8, 2024, and to the arson and criminal mischief charges on June 9, 2025. He was formally charged in connection with the arson incident on October 7, 2024, while already in custody at the Ocean County Jail.