SMITHVILLE – The Chenango County Sheriff’s Office charged a 15-year-old with arson on Wednesday and said the youth was responsible for setting three separate fires over the course of a few days that devastated several buildings at Smithville residence and killed 25 goats.
The teenager, who has not been named by law enforcement, has been charged with second-degree arson, a class B felony, third-degree arson, a class C felony, and aggravated cruelty to animals after allegedly starting three fires at the same property in a four day time span.
The teen was arraigned in Chenango County Family Court and remanded to a juvenile facility.
Authorities said the court case would likely continue in family court because of the defendant’s young age.
According to the Chenango County Sheriff’s Office, members of its detective division along with fire investigators from the Chenango County Bureau of Fire conducted an investigation into the fires located at 993 County Road 3 in the Town of Smithville.
