🚨 Business destroyed
🌲 20 years since NJ has seen a fire this large
👮‍♂️ Suspect now in custody

OCEAN TOWNSHIP (Ocean) — A young man has been charged with setting a massive wildfire that could end up being the largest wildfire in 20 years.

Joseph Kling, 19, of the Waretown section of Ocean Township, was charged Wednesday with aggravated arson and arson in what is being called the Jones Road Wildfire, which has burned more than 20 square miles of the Ocean County Natural Lands Trust’s Forked River Mountains Wilderness Area since Tuesday morning.

Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley Billhimer said Kling stacked wooden pallets on the fire and then left without the fire being fully extinguished.

The cause of the fire was determined to be incendiary by an improperly extinguished bonfire.

ALSO READ: Day 3: Jones Road Wildfire continues to burn in Ocean County

James Kling, charged with arson in the Jones Road Wildfire, during his first court appearance 4/24/25 (NJ Courts)

Who is Joseph Kling?

During his first court appearance on Thursday, Kling appeared via video sporting a slight mustache and goatee with a disheveled mop of hair. He sat quietly and still while waiting for his case to be heard.

A Superior Court judge ordered Kling to be held in Ocean County Jail until his detention hearing on Tuesday.

Court records show Kling is a high school graduate who was arrested one other time this year. He lives with his parents.

In January, he was charged with third-degree endangering an injured victim and misdemeanor assault in Lacey. He had a court date scheduled for May 12 and was represented by a public defender.

Police said Kling was one of eight people charged in the assault with a deadly weapon at the Lacey Materials site on Jan. 5.

A video circulating on Facebook showing Kling getting roughed up by a crowd at a bonfire is from several months ago, the Ocean County prosecutor said Thursday at a news conference.

ALSO READ: Inmate on meds brutally knocks out jail officer

Largest fire in 20 years

Environmental Protection Commissioner Shawn M. LaTourette expressed his gratitude to Bilhimer and law enforcement, whose investigation led to Kling’s arrest.

“Thanks to collaboration between every level of government, New Jersey averted a major disaster and even more catastrophic loss of natural resources and property. But this is no time to be complacent – the Jones Road Wildfire only reinforces the critical importance of fire safety, especially as drought conditions persist and our forest fire season continues,” LaTourette said in a statement.

The fire was spotted from Cedar Bridge Fire Tower around 9:45 a.m. Tuesday.

GPS was used to pinpoint its location.

The wildfire has burned 20 square miles in Barnegat, Lacey and Ocean Townships and led to the closure of several roads including the Garden State Parkway while firefighters worked to contain it.

It is the state’s largest wildfire in the past 20 years, according to the New Jersey Forest Fire Service.

EDITOR’S NOTE: An earlier version of this story should have said Kling was facing criminal charges in Municipal Court of Lacey.

Jones Road Wildfire burns along the Garden State Parkway 4/23/25 (The Lakewood Scoop)

Frightening scenes of the Jones Road Wildfire

The smoke from the Jones Road Wildfire in a forest of Ocean County on April 22, 2025, could be seen for miles, including from the coast.

Gallery Credit: New Jersey 101.5

6ABC Action News

Jones Road Wildfire from 6ABC helicopter

Google Maps

Jones Road wildfire

Reader submitted

Jones Road Wildfire

NJ ‘perv’ teachers, coaches busted in two-year span

There were a number of educators, coaches and private teachers facing criminal charges for sexual offenses around New Jersey, arrested between 2022 and 2023.

Gallery Credit: Erin Vogt

(Burlington County Prosecutor’s Office)

Vincent Root

Vincent Root, of Philadelphia, was arrested in October 2023 on charges of sexual assault and child endangerment, in an investigation that began the month before.

Root, a special education teacher in Woodland, was accused of molesting boys at Chatsworth Elementary School, over a number of years, according to the Burlington County Prosecutor’s Office.

By May 2024, Root was indicted for the sexual assault of at least 14 male students, according to authorities.

(Michael Hamilton via Linked In)

Michael Hamilton

Michael Hamilton, of Springfield, was arrested on Oct. 13, 2023, for producing a video depicting images of child sexual abuse and receiving and possessing images of child sexual abuse, according to U.S. Attorney Philip Sellinger.

The 51-year-old Hamilton was charged with one count each of production, receipt and possession of child pornography. He made his initial appearance in Newark federal court and was detained.

According to his Linked in profile, Hamilton has been a teacher in Union Township for over 14 years, as a band/Orchestra/Jazz Band Director.

From February through July, he allegedly shared hundreds of sexually explicit videos, photos and messages with a minor victim (out of NJ) on a messaging platform.

(Ocean County Jail)

Andrew Fantasia

A Jackson Township middle school teacher was arrested in October, accused of sexual contact with a high school student that officials said took place between February and June on school property.

Andrew James Fantasia, 27, of Beachwood, an 8th-grade math teacher since September 2021 and assistant track coach at Jackson Memorial High School, was identified by Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley Billhimer.

Fantasia was charged with third-degree aggravated criminal sexual contact, second-degree endangering the welfare of a child and second-degree official misconduct. He was suspended and banned from school property.

(Google Maps)

Fayez Yassa [no photo available]

Fayez Yassa, 64, was arrested on Oct. 12 at his Jersey City home.

The substitute teacher in Jersey City was charged with sex crimes involving two students — two counts of second-degree sexual assault by contact and two counts of second-degree child endangerment.

Prosecutors said Yassa was terminated from his job.

(Jeffrey Grossman via Facebook)

Jeffrey Grossman

The Democratic council president in Tenafly and his adult son were both arrested Oct. 12 on charges of possession of child pornography.

Jeffrey D. Grossman, 65, a Tenafly resident, was removed from his position as a teacher in Rochelle Park.

He was also called on to resign from council.

(Steven Grossman via Facebook)

Steven Grossman

Steven Grossman, 24, had worked with students in the Rochelle Park school district until being arrested on second-degree possession of child pornography.

He was arrested the same day and on the same charge as his father, 65-year-old Jeffrey Grossman, of Tenafly.

According to criminal complaints filed by police, more than 1,000 such files were viewed or downloaded — and officers seized 32 electronic devices, including cell phones and computers.

(Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office)

Julius Coaccioli

Coaccioli, of Woodbridge, was first arrested in August 2023 and charged with third-degree possession of child pornography. At that point, the educator at Woodrow Wilson Middle School in Edison was placed on administrative leave and barred from all school grounds.

In December, the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office announced he was now accused of having a sexual relationship with a juvenile male middle school student in 2013, based on evidence found on seized devices.

Coaccioli was charged with first-degree counts of manufacturing child pornography and kidnapping, second-degree counts of endangering the welfare of a child and possession of child pornography, third-degree aggravated criminal sexual contact and fourth-degree stalking.

(Essex County jail)

Matthew Swajkowski

Matthew Swajkowski, of Verona, was arrested in September and accused of engaging in sexual activities with a juvenile student in the chess club.

The 36-year-old Swajkowski was a science teacher, chess club advisor and assistant girls’ tennis coach at Verona High School.

He was charged with sexual assault, child endangerment, and other offenses, Essex County Prosecutor Theodore Stephens said.

(Burlington County Prosecutor’s Office)

Michelle Jacoby

A 27-year-old teacher’s aide in Burlington County was accused of sexually assaulting a high school student, over a two-year span.

Michelle Jacoby, of Riverside, was arrested in May 2023, according to Prosecutor LaChia Bradshaw.

The Riverside High School educator was charged with first-degree aggravated sexual assault and second-degree endangering the welfare of a child.

(Ocean County Sheriffs Office)

Kyle Banner

A longtime Toms River middle school teacher posted sexually explicit selfies and obscene captions and hashtags to his social media accounts — which he then instructed his students to visit, according to law enforcement.

Kyle Banner, 48, of Brick, has been suspended without pay since he was arrested in May 2023.

He was charged with official misconduct and three counts of endangering the welfare of a child.

(Google Maps)

Julius Coaccioli [no photo available]

A 55-year-old middle school teacher in Middlesex County has been charged with keeping child pornography.

Julius Coaccioli, of Woodbridge, was a science teacher at Woodrow Wilson Middle School in Edison when he was arrested in August 2023.

He was charged with third-degree possession of child pornography, of less than 1,000 images.

(Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office)

Joseph DePuglio

A 76-year-old Mercer County retired high teacher was arrested in March 2023.

Joseph DePuglio, of Ewing, was charged with second-degree sexual assault and child endangerment.

He was accused of having a sexual relationship with a female student more than two decades ago.

(Google Maps)

Jonathan C. Howell [no photo available]

In January 2023, a former beach lifeguard and high school teacher was indicted on charges of aggravated sexual assault and child endangerment. T

The Cape May County Prosecutor’s Office Special Victims Unit arrested Jonathan C. Howell, 41, of Marmora, after carrying out a search warrant at his home in 2022.

Howell faced counts of first-degree aggravated sexual assault and second-degree sexual assault and official misconduct.

In June 2024, he was sentenced to probation.

(Passaic County Prosecutor’s Office)

Favio Martell

Favio Martell, of Garfield, was accused of sending a sext to a 14-year-old student.

The 29-year-old teacher’s aide at Paterson Arts & Sciences Charter School, who also was a soccer coach at the school, was arrested in September 2023.

Martell faced a third-degree charge of endangering the welfare of a child.

(Elysian Charter School, Discord logo)

Eric Schau

A 32-year-old Hoboken teacher was arrested in March 2023, accused of having an online “sexually explicit conversation” with a 14-year-old girl.

Eric Schau was charged with two counts of third-degree endangering the welfare of a child, according to Hudson County Prosecutor Esther Suarez. S

She said that Schau also shared and received child sex abuse material with the girl, out of state, via the social media platform, Discord.

Schau had been a middle school science teacher at Elysian Charter School — but no longer works there.

(Canva, Townsquare Media)

2022 arrests

(Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office)

Joseph Scalfaro

In October, an Atlantic City High School teacher was accused of having an “inappropriate relationship” with a former student both on an off school grounds.

The 47-year-old from Absecon has taught history as well as coached tennis, according to his social media accounts.

Scalfaro was charged with second-degree endangering the welfare of a child, fourth-degree criminal sexual contact, and second-degree official misconduct, according to the Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office.

(Camden County Prosecutor’s Office)

Thomas Bianco III

In February, a 20-year-old youth baseball coach and landscaper in Camden County was accused of sexual offenses against at least five children.

Bianco was initially charged with second-degree sexual assault and third-degree endangering the welfare of a child, stemming from one 12-year-old victim’s report of alleged incidents in Bianco’s vehicle, Camden County Prosecutor Grace MacAulay said.

Then, four more 13-year-old victims reported their own encounters with Bianco in his car and additional charges were filed.

He had been a coach for Cherry Hill National Athletic League, which was fully cooperating with the investigation.

(Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office)

Anthony Linder-Creo

Linder-Creo was fired as a teacher and assistant coach in Mercer County in September a day before he was charged with sexual assault stemming from sex with a 17-year-old student.

The 24-year-old Robbinsville resident was a business teacher at Steinert High School in Hamilton Township. The Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office said the student said the sexual encounters happened at Linder-Creo’s home.

He was charged with four counts of sexual assault and one count of endangering the welfare of a child. He then entered a pre-trial intervention program in September 2023.

(Sussex County Jail)

Michael Wagner

The science teacher at a private school in Sussex County has been accused of taking hundreds of “upskirt” videos and photos of female students, as well as having a stash of child pornography.

Wagner, of Hopatcong, was arrested in October 2022, nearly a week after Sparta police found the footage after being called to Pope John XXIII Regional High School.

He was immediately suspended as a teacher.

In May 2024, Wagner pleaded guilty to first-degree child endangerment and second-degree manufacturing of child sexual abuse.

(Union County jail)

Bipradas Mookerjee

In January, Elizabeth police and the Union County Prosecutor’s Office announced that the 72-year-old Mookerjee, of North Brunswick, had been charged with third-degree aggravated criminal sexual contact and third-degree endangering the welfare of a child.

Prosecutors said the alleged incidents had involved a 14-year-old girl, and happened between October 2021 and that month, while Mookerjee worked as a math teacher at Frank J. Cicarell Academy.

(via News 12)

Didier Jean-Baptiste

Jean-Baptiste, a 54-year-old private high school dean, was arrested in October after trying to meet with someone he thought was a teenager for sex, officials said.

Jean-Baptiste was fired as dean of seniors at St. Benedict’s Preparatory School in Newark after Hudson County Prosecutor Esther Suarez announced the charges . The crimes did not involve any students.

The Jersey City resident was taken into custody, as caught by News 12 cameras, and charged with second-degree attempted luring and third-degree attempted endangering the welfare of a child.

(via Centenary University)

Alec Donovan

A former champion Ocean County high school wrestler turned coach and referee has faced a federal charge of receipt and distribution of child pornography.

Donovan, of Brick, shared three videos of sexual acts involving pre-pubescent children via a messaging app, according to Acting U.S. Attorney Rachael A. Honig in August 2021.

Donovan, who was 24 at the time, also used the app to have conversations with minors to ask for nude photos and send nude photos between January and March of that year, Honig said.

He was a coach with the Shore Thing Wrestling Club.

(Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office)

Jose Sanchez

Sanchez, who taught music lessons to children at a private studio in West Windsor, was charged with third-degree possession of child pornography and second-degree file-sharing of the material.

Detectives received a tip in September 2022 from authorities in Middlesex County that someone in Mercer had been uploading child porn.

Mercer County prosecutors executed a search warrant at the studio space in October and the 58-year-old Monroe Township resident was arrested.

(via Atlantic County Institute of Technology)

Peter Thompson

In October 2022, Thompson, a former television sports anchor-turned-teacher at the Atlantic County Institute of Technology was charged with having inappropriate sexual contact with several students.

The Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office investigated “multiple complaints” from students at the school in the Mays Landing section of Hamilton, regarding inappropriate sexual behavior by the 51-year-old.

Thompson was arrested at his Galloway home and was charged with multiple counts of endangering the welfare of a child, criminal sexual contact and official misconduct.

He no longer works at the school, prosecutors confirmed.

(Union County Prosecutor’s Office)

Christopher P. Marbaix

A 60-year-old man who co-founded a Summit robotics lab for children has been accused of molesting six children while he instructed them, years earlier.

Marbaix was initially arrested in November 2020, at which point he had already been removed from his position at Robot Revolution, according to the program’s remaining coordinators.

A Union County grand jury returned a 14-count indictment against him in January — five counts of second-degree sexual assault of a child under the age of 13, six counts of second-degree endangering the welfare of a child and three counts of fourth-degree criminal sexual contact with a child.

(Northern Burlington County Regional High School)

Edward Del Russo [no photo available]

Del Russo, a social studies teacher at Northern Burlington County Regional High School, was accused of sharing his foot fetish with a teen girl and threatening to kill himself if she told anyone.

The 43-year-old man was charged in June with third-degree child endangerment and fourth-degree cyber-harassment through lewd, indecent or obscene material and fourth-degree abuse by debauching the morals of a child.

(Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office)

David Musial

Musial, a private music teacher and producer, was arrested in November.

The 62-year-old Jersey City resident was accused of sexually abusing a male student repeatedly over a four-year span in his studio, starting when the victim was 14, according to the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office.

Musial has been charged with first-degree aggravated sexual assault, second-degree sexual assault, third-degree counts of aggravated criminal sexual contact and endangering the welfare of a child, and fourth-degree criminal sexual contact.