AUGUSTA — The district attorney’s office has identified two city teens accused of setting separate fires in recent months.
One fire destroyed a home on Coon Island in Togus Pond, while the other damaged a toilet at Cony middle school.
James Croxford, 15, is charged in the May 4 fire on Coon Island, according Acting District Attorney Alan Kelley. Miranda Brann, 14, is charged with setting the March 26 fire in a bathroom at Cony, Kelley said.
Croxford is charged with arson and six counts of burglary, as well as several misdemeanor charges, all of which occurred on the same day. Brann is charged with arson and at least one misdemeanor charge that investigators said was criminal mischief the day of the fire.
The teenagers’ names were originally withheld by authorities, but Maine law allows juveniles accused of felony crimes to be identified in public court records when prosecutors file a petition with the court. Filing a petition is similar to filing a criminal complaint against an adult.
The misdemeanor charges against the teens were not released, but both were originally charged with criminal mischief, according to police.
Croxford remains in custody, according to the petition filed in Augusta District Court. Most juveniles charged in Kennebec County are held at Mount View Youth Development Center in Charleston.
He is scheduled for arraignment in Augusta District Court on June 7 at 8:30 a.m. Court records show he is represented by attorney Scott Gurney, who couldn’t be reached for comment.
Brann was arraigned May 10 in Augusta District Court and is scheduled for a bench trial on the charges July 12 at 8:30 a.m.
She was released to the custody of her parents with conditions that she attend school and counseling and abide by house rules. She is also banned from having any incendiary devices.
Brann was represented by a court-appointed attorney at her arraignment, and an permanent attorney to represent her in this case has not yet been appointed.
Croxford is accused of setting the fire that destroyed a Coon Island home owned by Allison Ames and Rob Deschamps during a burglary spree that spread to three other camps on the island and at least one on the shore of Togus Pond. All of the camps were damaged during the break-ins, police have said. Most of that damage consisted of broken doors and windows.
Investigators have not said why or how Croxford allegedly burned down the one home.
Deschamps and Ames have an apartment in Augusta, but spent all four seasons on Coon Island whenever water and ice conditions allowed. The home was not insured.
At the time of his arrest, Croxford was charged with four counts of burglary, theft and criminal mischief. It is unclear why he now faces to additional burglary charges.
Brann is accused of setting a fire to items inside a bathroom toilet at the middle school. The fire was reported around 11 a.m. The girl was carrying a lighter when confronted by Augusta police officers later that day, police said.
Augusta firefighters were not called to the fire. Damage was limited to the toilet seat, police said.
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