Two teenage men have been indicted by a Cumberland County grand jury on felony arson charges in connection with a string of dumpster and trash fires in downtown Portland in March.
Aaron Hornbeck-Fielder, 18, of Windham, faces four felony counts of arson and one misdemeanor charge of violating bail terms. Robert Johnson, 19, of Portland, faces one count of arson and one bail violation charge, according to the Cumberland County District Attorney’s Office.
Johnson was arrested by Portland police moments after a fire was started in a pile of trash pushed to the rear of the Portland Museum of Art at 99 Spring St. on March 23.
Hornbeck-Fielder was arrested a week later by Portland police and charged with setting a fire in a dumpster at 121 Center St. on March 23.
At the time of Hornbeck-Fielder’s arrest on March 31, he was considered a suspect in other fires that were set on March 22 and 23 on Center Street, Forest Avenue, Commercial Street, Danforth Street and Congress Street. Police said at the time they believed all the fires were connected.
If the men are convicted of Class A felony arson, the most serious such charge, they face up to 30 years in prison for each count. The bail violation charges against them are punishable by up to six months in prison.
Scott Dolan can be reached at 791-6304 or at:
Twitter: @scottddolan
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