Two teen Mowbray Mountain volunteer firefighters appeared in court Friday to answer to charges that they conspired to set a vacant house on fire, then waited for a call from the fire department.
Mowbray Fire Chief Joe Marland said at the time William Harris, 18, and George Lewis, 19, were indicted in late October that the men must have been "bored."
"We're still very disappointed," Mr. Marland said Friday by phone after Mr. Harris and Mr. Lewis entered no pleas during their arraignment in Hamilton County Criminal Court. "In the 30 years we've been here, no one has ever been accused of arson."
Mr. Harris and Mr. Lewis each are charged with one count of arson and one count of conspiracy to commit arson. They are out of jail on $5,000 bonds. Mr. Harris has an attorney, but Mr. Lewis, who appeared with his parents, petitioned the court for a public defender because they said they couldn't afford to hire private counsel.
The men are scheduled to return to court in January.
The charges are in connection with an Aug. 17 fire at 1601 Poe Road, a vacant residence near Mr. Harris' home, according to the indictment. Authorities said the fire likely started with the help of an accelerant.
The Hamilton County Sheriff's Office said in late October than there have been other suspicious fires in the area. Spokeswoman Janice Atkinson said Friday that investigators still are looking into whether there are any links between the defendants and the other fires.
Both men started as junior firefighters under the age of 18 with the Mowbray Mountain Volunteer Fire Department. The department offers teens a chance to serve before becoming full-fledged volunteers, Mr. Marland said.
But the department, which has 15 firefighters, does not do background checks on people who are younger than 18. Background checks are performed only on adult firefighters, Mr. Marland said.
Under law, any criminal record on a juvenile would not be public record.
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