April 7, 2000

FOUR INDICTED ON ARSON CHARGES 

      TRENTON – Four Hamilton men were indicted today on aggravated arson charges, accused of torching cars last year, Mercer County Prosecutor Daniel G. Giaquinto announced.

      Indicted were: Eric Cheng (DOB 1/12/80), of the first block of Gary Drive; John Cranston (DOB 10/26/80), of the first block of Corral Drive; Charlie Thompson (DOB 2/4/81), of the first block of Summerhill Drive; and Mark Schroeder (DOB 7/15/80), of the first block of Locust Avenue, Giaquinto said.

      Cheng, Cranston and Thompson were each indicted on three second-degree counts of aggravated arson and three third-degree counts of arson, while Schroeder was indicted on two counts each of those charges.

      The incidents occurred between midnight and about 3:30 a.m. on July 15, 1999, when the men set fire to a 1991 GMC Jimmy parked in the first block of Coley Court. The men had targeted a vehicle owned by a man with whom they had a dispute four years before, but burned the wrong vehicle.

      Immediately after the first arson, the four men went to the 300 block of Buttonwood Street where they set fire to a Lincoln Continental parked there. Schroeder then left and the three other defendants went to the first block of Chevery Court and set fire to a 1996 Jeep Cherokee parked on the street.

      If convicted of the second-degree offenses, Cheng, Cranston and Thompson could each be sentenced to a maximum 30 years in jail while Schroeder could be sentenced to a maximum 20 years in prison if convicted. 

      Assistant Prosecutor Jeff Rubin presented the case to grand jury.

        Despite having been indicted, every defendant is presumed innocent unless found guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.