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.

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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.

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