BALLSTON — A man currently in Greene County Jail awaiting trial on a murder charge has been charged in connection with vandalism that occurred in 2017 at the Curtis Lumber property in the town of Ballston.
Anthony J. Paradise Jr., 44, was arrested following a lengthy investigation into an incident that occurred on Nov. 27, 2017. Paradise is accused of spending several hours at the lumber yard’s property on Route 67 after the business was closed.
Paradise allegedly sabotaged electrical and gas systems in several buildings, damaged buildings and computer systems, tampered with the 911 system on the Verizon Wireless tower and set fire to a storage building full of sub-flooring, causing hundreds of thousands of dollars in damage, according to a news release from the Saratoga County Sheriff’s Office.
Police did not state any motive for the crime.
Paradise was charged with felony counts of third-degree arson, third-degree burglary, first-degree criminal tampering and second-degree criminal mischief. He was arraigned in Ballston Town Court and returned to Greene County Jail.
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Saratoga County Sheriff Michael Zurlo said he was proud to announce the arrest in the case, which involved hundreds of police hours.
Jay Curtis, owner and president of Curtis Lumber, also thanked investigators “for their diligence and persistence solving this very unusual crime.”
“We are extremely pleased and look forward to this being behind us,” he said in a news release.
Michael Goot
night and weekend editor
