Former 911 dispatcher, 50, charged with deliberately starting 24 fires in Ohio woods: man, who works at the fire department, wanted to ‘give the boys something to do and distract himself from depression’
James Bartels, 50, of Patriot, Ohio, was arrested Tuesday and appeared in federal court in Columbus, charged with arson
He is charged with setting at least 24 arson attacks in Wayne National Forest
Bartels is currently an administrator with the Greenfield Township Volunteer Fire Department and admitted setting the fires “to give the boys something to do”
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An Ohio volunteer fire department administrator has been charged with arson and charged with deliberately setting 24 fires, which he admitted to starting “to give the boys something to do.”
James Bartels, 50, of Patriot, appeared in court in Columbus on Tuesday for federal charges — which could lead him to five years in prison.
Bartels, an administrator with the Greenfield Township Volunteer Fire Department, was arrested earlier Tuesday.
He is suspected of starting his first fire in the spring of 2022, in Wayne National Forest – and has reported it to his team.
James Bartels, 50, was working as a 911 dispatcher and administrator for a volunteer fire team when he began his arson attack, prosecutors say
Bartels said he started the fires to help his colleagues at the Greenfield Volunteer Fire Department – he said it was to ‘give them something to do’
On October 29, a law enforcement officer noted seeing Bartels’ maroon Ford F-250 truck near the site of the Cauley Fire.
In early November, Bartels resigned from his second job as an emergency dispatcher for Galia County.
Days later, on November 8, at least 17 fires were lit – and Bartels was spotted at two of them.
Bartels was questioned by the police on December 8 and admitted to setting several fires.
Bartels faces five years in prison if convicted of arson
He admitted setting the fires with a lighter to “give the boys something to do” and to distract himself from depression.
Officers gave Bartels a map and he identified 24 for which he was responsible.
The data from his truck’s infotainment system also placed him at the locations of the fires.
He is due back in court on January 3.