UTICA, NY — A Oneida County sheriff’s deputy has been indicted on multiple felony charges, including four counts of attempted murder, after allegedly setting fire to a Utica home last month while the mother of his child, her infant, and her parents were inside, officials announced Wednesday.
Deputy Aaron Alshaman, 29, of Lee Center, was taken into custody and arraigned at Oneida County Court on Thursday following a grand jury indictment charging him with attempted murder in the second degree and arson in the second degree. The charges stem from an April 9 house fire at 1117 Kellogg Avenue that investigators later determined was intentionally set.
The fire began around 4:32 a.m. when the homeowner, overwhelmed by smoke, called 911 and escaped the residence with her infant and two parents. First responders arrived quickly and extinguished the blaze before it could destroy the home. No injuries were reported.
Surveillance footage collected during the investigation showed an individual carrying a gas can approaching the home shortly before the fire and fleeing the scene minutes later. Another video captured from a nearby street showed the same figure igniting the rear of the house. Authorities also tracked Alshaman’s marked sheriff’s vehicle using AVL data, which placed the car in a nearby lot at the time of the fire. The vehicle left the area shortly after the blaze began.
Utica Police said extensive digital evidence — including surveillance video, cellphone and smartwatch data, body-worn camera footage, and a forensic download of Alshaman’s vehicle — was collected and reviewed. Investigators said some of this evidence further implicates Alshaman but has not been publicly disclosed due to the ongoing case.
The indictment follows weeks of investigation by the Utica Police Department, with assistance from the Oneida County Sheriff’s Office, New York State Police, and the Oneida County District Attorney’s Office. The fire reportedly occurred just days after Alshaman was served with custody papers regarding the child he shares with the victim.
Sheriff Robert Maciol issued a statement following the indictment, calling the charges “shocking and profoundly dishearten[ing],” and emphasizing that the alleged conduct was a “blatant betrayal of his Oath of Office.”
“There is no place in law enforcement for anyone who abuses their position of trust,” Maciol said. “Our thoughts are with the victims and we are dedicated to helping them navigate through this difficult time.”
Utica Police Chief Mark Williams credited his department’s Criminal Investigations Division for its “dedicated effort” and extended thanks to the law enforcement agencies involved in securing the indictment.