NJ man broke into house, then set it on fire, police say

KEANSBURG — A borough man is facing arson and burglary charges after he allegedly broke into a borough home, then set it on fire, police said.

Eriberto R. Valentin, 55, was apprehended after the residents of a Pineview Avenue home returned to their house Sunday night to discover a male intruder, who then fled the scene. Shortly after the man, later identified as Valentin, left the house, police say a fire erupted inside.

"Responding patrol officers extinguished the flames. An investigation resulted in Valentin’s arrest a short time later," the Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office said in a statement Monday.

Valentin was charged with second degree aggravated arson and third degree burglary. He was transported to the Monmouth County Correctional Institution in Freehold Township on $75,000 bail with no 10 percent option, authorities said. He is also prohibited from having any contact with the homeowners or returning to the scene of the alleged crimes, according to the prosecutor.

An aggravated arson conviction carried a sentence of five to 10 years in prison, subject to the No Early Release Act, which would require Valentin to serve 85 percent of his sentence before being eligible for parole. The sentence would also require him to be on parole for three years after his release. Valentin could also face an additional three to five years in state prison if convicted of burglary, authorities said.

Toniann Antonelli is a social content producer for NJ 101.5. She can be reached at toniann.antonelli@townsquaremedia.com, or on Twitter @ToniRadio1015.

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