Fall River man indicted on arson charges
BROCKTON, MA (WLNE) – A Fall River man was indicted Friday on charges he set fire to homes and buildings in several Massachusetts towns.
A Plymouth County Grand Jury returned indictments Friday against Mark Sargent, 50, of Fall River, on a slew of arson-related charges following an investigation by State Police with assistance from the Brockton Fire and Police Departments, The Office of the State Fire Marshal, and the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Sargent, who was on probation at the time for arson charges, was arrested in October for setting fire to a building in Brockton. Investigators determined that a fire had been set intentionally, and were able to obtain surveillance video of Sargent splashing what was determined to be gasoline around the staircase and doorway of the building.
Through collection of evidence and interviews during the investigation of the Brockton fire, investigators determined that Sargent set three additional fires in South Shore towns. Friday’s indictments allege that Sargent set fires in Hull and Hanson, as well as a second fire in Brockton earlier in the fall.
Sargent is charged with the following offenses:
- 3 counts of Burning of a Dwelling
- 4 counts of Wanton/ Malicious Destruction of Property
- Burning of a Personal Property.
Sargent is being held without bail and is set to be arraigned in Superior Court at a later date.
©WLNE-TV / ABC6 2017
