SHELTON, CT — Two men have been arrested in connection with a structure fire and burglary that occurred in December 2024.
Joseph Lapinta, 25, of Shelton, was arrested Nov. 3 and charged with arson in the first degree, burglary in the first degree, larceny in the sixth degree and criminal mischief in the third degree.
Daniel Champagne, 26, of Shelton, was arrested Nov. 4 and charged with arson in the first degree, burglary in the first degree, larceny in the sixth degree and criminal mischief in the third degree.
Both men posted $100,000 bond.
Lapinta is scheduled to appear in Derby Superior Court on Nov. 24, while Champagne is scheduled to appear Dec. 9.
The arrests stem from an incident on Dec. 6, 2024, when the Shelton Fire Department responded to a structure fire on Village Drive.
The residence was unoccupied after a previous fire at the same location days earlier had been deemed accidental.
Responding firefighters and police officers encountered Champagne and Lapinta at the scene of the active fire investigation.
Both men told officers they were driving by and observed the residence on fire.
The Shelton Police Department Detective Bureau, with assistance from the Connecticut State Police Fire and Explosion Investigative Unit and the Shelton Fire Marshal’s Office, investigated the cause of the fire.
During the investigation, police determined that multiple pieces of jewelry, personal information belonging to the homeowner, women’s clothing and female undergarments were missing from the residence.
The items were later recovered during search warrants executed on Lapinta’s and Champagne’s vehicles.
Additional interviews and search warrants conducted by the Shelton Detective Bureau led to arrest warrants being issued for both men.
