A Warwick man was taken into custody early Friday morning following an investigation into a series of intentionally set fires at a Cecil County farm, according to the Office of the State Fire Marshal.
The incident occurred on April 10, 2026, when the Cecilton Volunteer Fire Company and surrounding departments responded shortly after 4:00 a.m. to the 1100 block of Middleneck Road in Warwick for a reported shed fire. Upon arrival, firefighters found a shed fully involved, with flames extending to additional sheds, a chicken coop, and a pickup truck. Crews were able to contain the fire and prevent it from spreading to a nearby residence and a large garage.
Deputy State Fire Marshals responded to the scene and determined the fire originated in a shed and had been intentionally set, officials said. Investigators also identified evidence of multiple prior fires on the property that had either been extinguished or allowed to burn out.
Officials said they identified Wallace Pleasanton, 67, who lives at the property with his 96-year-old mother, as the individual responsible. With assistance from the Cecil County Sheriff’s Office, Pleasanton was taken into custody at the scene.
He has been charged with second-degree arson, first-degree malicious burning, and malicious destruction of property over $1,000. Officials stated the arrest follows a separate January 2026 case in which Pleasanton was charged after investigators determined he had intentionally set fire to his mother’s John Deere utility vehicle inside a garage at the same address.
Pleasanton is currently being held at the Cecil County Detention Center without bond.
