CHARLES COUNTY, MD – A Prince Frederick man has been arrested and charged with arson after investigators determined he intentionally set fire to a vacant commercial building to capture video of emergency responders for his social media pages. Authorities also allege he placed multiple false 911 calls across several counties to stage emergency situations for filming.
On February 22, 2025, at approximately 8:30 p.m., emergency crews, including the Newburg Volunteer Fire Company, responded to a reported structure fire at 12535 Crain Highway. When firefighters arrived, they discovered a fire inside the vacant building and quickly worked to contain the flames. The Office of the State Fire Marshal launched an investigation and later determined the fire was deliberately set.
Investigators identified the first 911 caller as Joshua Christian-Stanley Jackson, 21, a Prince Frederick resident known for filming and posting videos of emergency responses. In a social media post following the incident, Jackson claimed he had come across the fire while returning from a DoorDash delivery in King George County, Virginia. However, investigators found no evidence that he had been in Virginia at the time.
Authorities uncovered a pattern of false emergency reports linked to Jackson in Charles, St. Mary’s, and Calvert counties. During questioning, Jackson admitted to setting the fire, stating that he had profited from filming emergency responses and had orchestrated the incident to generate more content for his social media accounts.
Acting State Fire Marshal Jason M. Mowbray condemned Jackson’s actions, emphasizing the dangers posed by staged emergencies.
“Setting fires for personal gain endangers not only our firefighters but the entire community. These reckless acts divert resources away from real emergencies, putting lives and property at unnecessary risk,” Mowbray said. “Our investigators worked diligently to bring this case to light, and we want to remind the public that making false 911 calls is a criminal offense that will be prosecuted to the fullest extent.”
Jackson was taken into custody on the morning of February 28, 2025. He is currently being held without bond at the Charles County Detention Center and faces charges of second-degree arson, malicious burning, and causing a false fire alarm. Investigators continue to examine his involvement in previous emergency calls, and authorities have not ruled out additional charges.
Jackson is listed as the videographer and creator of two social media groups, Prince Frederick Uncensored News and Information Group and SoMD Uncensored News and Information. Other administrators of these pages include Michelle Evelyn Collins-Contrino, Fiona Eskins, Tracy Smith, and Robert Jaffers, the latter of whom is a probationary firefighter with the Hollywood Volunteer Fire Department.
In response to Jackson’s arrest, an administrator of the SoMD Uncensored News and Information group paused activity in the group on February 28, 2025. Comments were also disabled on a post discussing the arrest. As of now, no public statements have been made by the other administrators.
Authorities continue to investigate whether Jackson was involved in other incidents and urge the public to report any suspicious activity related to emergency calls.
