TOMS RIVER, NJ – Two Ocean County men have been sentenced to state prison for their roles in an arson case that stemmed from a 2024 fire in Little Egg Harbor Township.
Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer announced Friday that 20-year-old Ethan Salter of Little Egg Harbor Township and 21-year-old Thomas Lester of Tuckerton were each sentenced by Judge Dina M. Vicari in Ocean County Superior Court.
Both men previously pleaded guilty to charges related to an arson that destroyed a structure on National Union Boulevard.
Sentences issued for arson and related crimes
Salter received three years in New Jersey State Prison for aggravated arson and an additional three-year term for creating a false public alarm, with both sentences to run concurrently. He pleaded guilty to both counts in April.
Lester was sentenced to three years for aggravated arson and 12 months for criminal mischief, also to run concurrently, following his guilty plea in September.
Prosecutors said the charges stem from a fire reported at 3:19 a.m. on January 8, 2024, where investigators determined the blaze had been intentionally set using an open flame and ignitable liquid.
Prior bomb threat linked to one defendant
Just weeks earlier, on December 2, 2023, Little Egg Harbor Township Police responded to a bomb threat at the local Walmart.
Authorities determined that Salter, a former employee, had used a stolen store radio to make the false threat, prompting a full evacuation. The New Jersey State Police Bomb Squad later confirmed there was no credible danger.
Salter was arrested three days later and later charged in connection with the arson case after additional investigation tied him and Lester to the January fire.
Investigators confirm coordinated effort
The investigation was led by the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crime Unit–Arson Squad, in coordination with multiple law enforcement and fire agencies.
Both defendants were initially released under New Jersey Bail Reform guidelines. Salter was later taken back into custody for violating the conditions of his release and remains in the Ocean County Jail.
Judge Vicari ordered both prison sentences to run concurrently, finalizing the long-running case nearly two years after the incidents occurred.
Key Points
- Ethan Salter and Thomas Lester were sentenced for their roles in a 2024 arson in Little Egg Harbor Township.
- Salter also received a concurrent sentence for a 2023 false bomb threat at Walmart.
- Both men were sentenced to state prison following guilty pleas in Ocean County Superior Court.