Union City Man Charged and Detained Pending Trial Following Aggravated Arson of Synagogue

Hudson County Prosecutor Esther Suarez has released the following information:

The Union City Police Department and the Hudson County Regional Arson Task Force arrested a 29-year-old Union City man and charged him with first-degree aggravated arson in connection with a fire set at a Jewish synagogue and the Mesivta Sanz Yeshiva on 34th Street in Union City.

Oswaldo Domingo Xil-Argueta was charged with Aggravated Arson in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:17-1A(2); Criminal Mischief in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:17-3A(1); and Burglary in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:18-2A(1). Because the arson was at a place of public worship, the aggravated arson charge has been elevated to a first-degree offense. At this point, there is no evidence that this was a bias incident.

Today, during a hearing before the Honorable Judge Paul DePascale, the state’s motion for pretrial detention was approved after the state argued Xil-Argueta posed a danger to the community.

Xil-Argueta was arrested at 325 34th Street in Union City just after 4 a.m. on July 5, 2021 by the Union City Police Department and the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office Regional Arson Task Force.

On Saturday, July 3, 2021 just before 3 a.m., members of the Union City Police Department and the North Hudson Regional Fire and Rescue responded to 318 34th Street on reports of a working fire. There were no occupants in the building at the time and no injuries, however, the fire did escalate to two-alarms.

Prosecutor Suarez credited the Union City Police Department and the Hudson County Regional Arson Task Force for the investigation and arrest.

The above charges are merely accusations and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty. R.P.C.3.6(b)(6).