Welcome to Arrest Stories. A thirty-year-old former Swifton police officer has been arrested on arson charges after allegedly setting fire to his own home and then calling nine-one-one to report the blaze he supposedly started.
Here's what may have happened according to official reports.
On Monday, August thirtieth, Benjamin Drake Slagley contacted emergency services to report a fire at his residence in Swifton. What initially appeared to be a routine house fire call quickly transformed into a complex criminal investigation that would end Slagley's law enforcement career.
Arkansas State Police investigators discovered troubling evidence at the scene. According to their findings, multiple fires had been started in closets throughout the home, with the blazes located in areas not near each other. Most significantly, Slagley was reportedly the only person inside the house when the fires began.
The U.S. Fire Administration defines arson as the willful and malicious burning of property, and investigators believe that's exactly what occurred in this case. The pattern of multiple ignition points in separate locations raised immediate red flags for fire investigators examining the scene.
Following the incident, Slagley resigned from his position as a Swifton police officer amid the ongoing investigation. The timing of his resignation, coming so quickly after the suspicious fire, added another layer of intrigue to an already unusual case.
During questioning, investigators reportedly asked Slagley pointed questions about his alleged actions, with one official quoted as asking, "why would you do something like this? What did you do?"
State Police have confirmed Slagley's arrest on arson charges related to the deliberate burning of his own residence. Despite the serious nature of the charges, Slagley has since been released on bond while the case moves through the legal system.
The investigation represents a dramatic fall from grace for the former law enforcement officer, who went from responding to emergencies to allegedly creating one himself.
All suspects presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Do not take this report as factual, always verify facts. Thanks for watching Arrest Stories.