Hamilton County, Ind.-- Two men entrusted to fight fires are accused of setting them.
Adam B. Sampson, 21, of Tipton County and Dustin Ables, 23, of Howard County were arrested Monday by Hamilton County Sheriff's deputies and taken to Hamilton County Jail. Each faces multiple felony charges in connection with a series of arson fires in Hamilton County last summer.
The pair admitted setting three fires near Atlanta between July and August while being questioned by Tipton Police in an unrelated matter.
Sampson was a Jackson Township Firefighter when the fires were set. He is now a volunteer with the Cicero Township Fire Department in Tipton County. Ables is a former volunteer with Jackson Township Fire Department.
According to charging documents provided by the Hamilton County Prosecutors Office, Sampson and Ables broke into and set fire to an uninhabited residence July 12 at 4541 E. 276th St. in Atlanta. The pair struck again Aug 7 at another uninhabited residence at 29010 Devaney Road in Atlanta. Sampson is also charged with a fire set July 24 at an undisclosed location.
"Two of them were abandoned houses and then another one was a farm out-building," said Deputy Vicky Dunbar, public information officer for the Hamilton County Sheriff's Department.
Sampson faces two Class B felony counts of arson and one Class D felony count of arson. He also is charged with two Class B felony counts of conspiracy to commit arson and two Class C felony counts of burglary. Sampson remains jailed. His bond is set at $105,000
Ables is charged with two Class B felony counts of arson and two Class B felony counts of conspiracy to commit arson. Ables remains jailed. His bond is set at $50,000.
Republished with permission of The Noblesville Daily Times.
