Contact: Beth Stone- (508) 584-8120
BROCKTON – A Fall River man has been indicted on charges he set fire to homes in Hull, Hanson and Brockton, Plymouth County District Attorney Timothy J. Cruz has announced.
A Plymouth County Grand Jury today returned indictments against Mark Sargent (DOB: 11/28/67) on three counts of Burning of a Dwelling, four counts of Wanton/ Malicious Destruction of Property and one count of Burning of a Personal Property. Sargent, who is currently held without bail, will be arraigned on the charges in superior court at a later date.
On October 4, 2017, Sargent, who was out on probation on arson charges, was arrested for setting fire to 175 East Ashland Street in Brockton early that morning. The fire in the single-story commercial building, housing Bay State Shredding, was determined to be intentionally set.
Investigators obtained surveillance video of Sargent splashing what was determined to be gasoline, around the staircase and doorway of the building at East Ashland Street. As part of that fire investigation, through interviews and evidence, it was determined that Sargent set three additional fires in South Shore towns. The indictments allege that Sargent set fire on September 20, 2017 to a home at 22 Channel Street in Hull and on September 24, 2017, Sargent set fire to a home at 16 Liberty Street in Hanson. Additionally, the indictments allege that Sargent set fire to a three-floor apartment building at 1210 Montello Street in Brockton on October 4, 2017.
Assistant District Attorneys Alexander Zane and Kathleen Kramer are prosecuting the case. The investigation was conducted by State Police assigned to the Plymouth County District Attorney’s Office with assistance from the Brockton Fire and Police Departments, State Police assigned to the Office of the State Fire Marshal, and the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
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