Georgia Firefighter Charged with 16 Felony Charges

A firefighter from Bartow County has been charged with 16 felony counts.

The Insurance and Fire Safety Commissioner’s Office reports that Carey Wolfe was arrested by state agency investigators on October 11th. The 36-year-old Cartersville man has been charged in connection with an arson previously under investigation.

The investigation had revealed to law enforcement officials that Wolfe allegedly burglarized the home before setting fire to it. Multiple items were stolen and then pawned at a local pawn shop. The 41-year-old, 1,589 square-foot home was completely destroyed by the blaze, which spread to the wooded area around the home resulting in a wildfire.

Investigators with the Safety Fire Commissioner’s Office are assisting the Bartow County Sheriff’s Office, Bartow County Fire Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives with this investigation.

Authorities say Wolfe is facing the following charges:

• 1 Count of First Degree Arson
• 1 Count of Aggravated Battery
• 1 Count of Possession of a Firearm in Commission of a Felony
• 3 Counts of Burglary
• 5 Counts of Theft by Receiving
• 3 Counts of Theft by Deception
• 1 Count of Violation of Oath by a Public Officer
• 1 Count of Arson of Woodlands

First Degree Arson is a felony punishable by a fine of no more than $50,000 or by a prison term between one and twenty years, or both.

“The arson charges stem from Mr. Wolfe’s alleged involvement in setting fire to a structure off of Old Mill Road in White, Georgia, on the afternoon of October 4. He is currently being held in Bartow County Jail without bond,” said Safety Fire Commissioner John F. King in a news release. “The initial investigation revealed that the suspect is employed with the Bartow County Fire Department. After that discovery, the investigation was turned over to our office to eliminate any conflicts of interests.”