Story by Ethan
On June 10th, 2025, the arrests of Kaele Principato and Lucas Pyle, both age 18, were announced by Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer. Kaele Principato and Lucas Pyle were charged with aggravated assault, and possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose. The arrests and charges against Kaele Principato and Lucas Pyle were a result of an investigation launched by Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crime Unit-Arson Squad, Barnegat Township Police Department Detective Bureau, Ocean County Fire Marshal’s Office K-9 Unit, and the Ocean County Sheriff’s Office Crime Scene Investigation Unit.
According to the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office, at approximately 2:50 p.m. on June 7th, 2025, a residential fire was reported to the Barnegat Township Fire and Police Departments. Responding personnel identified no fire upon arrival to the scene before learning that nearby residents put out the fire earlier. A joint investigation launched revealed that the fire started within the living room of the affected house, caused by a discharged flare gun that was fired through the window of the residence that made the curtains catch on fire. Kaele Principato and Lucas Pyle were later identified by detectives as the individuals responsible for firing the flare gun at the house earlier that day before fleeing the scene. Kaele Principato and Lucas Pyle were located and taken into custody at the Barnegat Township Police Headquarters on June 9th, 2025, before being relocated to the Ocean County Jail while waiting for a detention hearing.
The Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office stated that the charges against Kaele Principato are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
