AUGUSTA — A teenager who had been staying at the Occupy Augusta encampment at Capitol Park was charged today with setting one of the camp’s tents on fire Monday night, authorities said.
Matthew D. Meyer, 18, of Warren, was issued a summons on a charge of arson by the state Fire Marshal’s Office about 2:30 p.m. today, according to Steve McCausland, spokesman for the Maine Department of Public Safety. In a release, McCausland described Meyer as a resident of the Occupy encampment and said Meyer claimed to be a volunteer firefighter.
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He is scheduled to appear in Kennebec County Superior Court in Augusta on Feb. 14.
Capitol Police Chief Russell Gauvin said Meyer turned himself in to the Capitol Police office Wednesday morning and admitted to starting the fire, McCausland said. Meyer allegedly told authorities that he had been staying at the encampment for a month and was intending to move into the vacant tent that was damaged by the fire.
Gauvin issued Meyer a trespass notice, prohibiting him from all state-owned property in Augusta, according to McCausland.
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