A Prince Frederick, Maryland, resident known for recording fire emergencies for social media has been arrested and charged with intentionally setting a vacant building on fire and alerting first responders, according to state officials.
The fire occurred on Feb. 22 in Newburg, Maryland, and was quickly extinguished after emergency crews arrived around 8:30 p.m., the Maryland Office of the State Fire Marshal reported.
Investigators determined the fire was deliberately set and identified 21-year-old Joshua Christian-Stanley Jackson as a suspect after tracing the initial 911 call and analyzing his social media posts, where he described discovering the fire in detail.
Jackson initially claimed he came across the fire while making a DoorDash delivery in Virginia, but investigators found no record of his presence there. He later admitted to setting the fire, revealing that he profited from filming emergency response videos for social media.
Authorities also linked Jackson to previous 911 calls in Charles, St. Mary’s, and Calvert counties, and are investigating whether additional charges may be warranted.
Jackson faces charges including second-degree arson, malicious burning, and causing a false fire alarm. He is being held without bond at the Charles County Detention Center, with a bail review hearing set for Monday morning.
