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 — Ten volunteer firefighters were arrested Tuesday and accused of being involved in a nearly two-year conspiracy to set numerous fires in woods and abandoned structures, according to the Robeson County Sheriff’s Office. 
 
 The firefighters work with the Fairmont Rural Fire Department and the Orrum Fire Department. 
 
 There are approximately 90 arson-related charges in the investigation, and more charges are expected, authorities said. 
 
 "Not accidental, set on fire...what it costs taxpayers to answer these numerous calls. We've been doing this for the last six months," Sheriff Kenneth Sealey said. "Several woods fires and abandoned house fires in a week." 
 
 Sealey said a tip lead to the start of the investigation. 
 
 Carolyn Harriman, who lives around the corner from the Fairmont firehouse, said she is shocked by the allegations. 
 
 "I don't understand that. I mean, the job might be boring at times, but you don't go creating fires just to have something to put out," she said. 
 
 The following people were arrested and charged in the case: 
 
 Melquan Williams, 21, of Fairmont, was charged with one count of felony arson and one count of felony conspiracy. His bond was set at $200,000. 
 
 Austin Seth Hunt, 23, of Rowland, was charged with six counts of felony setting fire to grass, brush or woods, two counts of felony arson burning a church, uninhabited house or store, and five counts of felony conspiracy. His bond was set at $200,000.00. 
 
 Ashley Marie Oxendine, 18, of Orrum, was charged with two counts of felony setting fire to grass, brush or woods and two counts of felony conspiracy. Her bond was set at $100,000. 
 
 John Austin Huggins, 17, of Fairmont, was charged with two counts of felony setting fire to grass, brush or woods, two counts of felony arson burning a church, uninhabitable house or store and four counts of felony conspiracy. His bond was set at $100,000.00. 
 
 Jordan Scott, 19, of Fairmont, was charged with four counts of felony setting fire to grass, brush or woods, five counts of arson burning a church, uninhabited house or store and nine counts of felony conspiracy. His bond was set at $100,000. 
 
 Kenny Caulder Jr., 19, of Fairmont, was charged with six counts of felony arson burning a church, uninhabited house or store, two counts of felony setting fire to grass, brush or woods and seven counts of felony conspiracy. His bond was set at $100,000. 
 
 Willie Fuentes Strickland, 42, of Fairmont, was charged with two counts of felony setting fire to grass, brush or woods, one count of felony arson burning a church, uninhabited house or store and three counts of felony conspiracy. His bond was set at $100,000. 
 
 Jordan Emmanuel Hunt, 18, of Fairmont, was charged with four counts of felony setting fire to grass, brush or woods, 12 of felony conspiracy. His bond was set at $100,000. 
 
 Shellia Huggins, 19, of Fairmont, was charged with two counts of felony setting fire to grass, brush or woods, two counts of felony arson burning a church, uninhabited house or store and four counts of felony conspiracy. Her bond was set at $100,000. 
 
 William Kendall Strickland, 18, of Fairmont, was charged with one count of misdemeanor larceny, one count of felony setting fire to grass, brush or woods and one count of felony conspiracy. His bond was set at $100,000. 
 
 Investigators say more arrests are possible. 
 
 Anyone with information about the investigation is asked to call Lt. Kevin Graham of the Robeson County Sheriff’s Office at 910-671-3100. ||||| Melquan Williams, 21, of Fairmont. Williams, a former Maxton police officer is charged with one count of felony, arson, burning church, uninhabited house, store, one count felony, conspiracy, His bond was set at $200,000. 
 
 
 
 Austin Seth Hunt, 23, of Rowland, who works for the Department of Corrections, is charged with 1 count of felony, setting fire to grass, brush, woods, two counts felony, arson, burning church, uninhabited house, store, five counts felony, setting fire to grass, brush, woods and five counts felony conspiracy. His bond was set at $200,000. 
 
 
 
 Ashley Marie Oxendine, 18, of Orrum, is charged with two counts felony setting fire to grass, brush, woods, two counts felony conspiracy. Her bond was set at $100,000. 
 
 
 
 John Austin Huggins, 17, of Fairmont, is charged with two counts felony setting fire to grass, brush, woods, two counts felony, arson, burning church, uninhabited house, store and four counts felony conspiracy. His bond was set at $100,000. 
 
 
 
 Jordan Scott, 19, of Fairmont, is charged with four counts felony setting fire to grass, brush, woods, five counts felony arson, burning church, uninhabited house, store, and nine counts felony conspiracy. His bond was set at $100,000. 
 
 
 
 Kenny Caulder Jr., 19, of Fairmont, is charged with six counts felony arson, burning church, uninhabited house, store, two counts felony setting fire to grass, brush, woods and seven counts of felony conspiracy. His bond was set at $100,000. 
 
 
 
 Willie Fuentes Strickland, 42, of Fairmont, is charged with two counts of felony setting fire to grass, brush, woods, one count of felony arson, burning church, uninhabited house, store and three counts of felony, conspiracy. His bond was set at $100,000. 
 
 
 
 Jordan Emmanuel Hunt, 18, of Fairmont, is charged with four counts of felony setting fire to grass, brush, woods, 12 counts of felony conspiracy. His bond was set at $100,000. 
 
 
 
 Shellia Huggins, 19, of Fairmont is charged with two counts of felony setting fire to grass, brush, woods, two counts of felony arson, burning church, uninhabited house, store, and four counts of felony conspiracy. Her bond was set at $100,000. 
 
 
 
 William Kendall Strickland, 18, of Fairmont, NC is charged with one count of misdemeanor larceny, one count of felony setting fire to grass, brush, woods and one count of felony conspiracy. His bond was set at $100,000. 
 
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 Following a year-long investigation, 10 volunteer firefighters have been arrested and accused of intentionally setting fires to abandoned homes and woods throughout Robeson County.Sheriff Ken Sealey said firefighters with the Fairmont and Orrum Fire Department set the fires over a two-year period.A Maxton police officer and NC Department of Corrections officer were also charged in connection with the investigation.There were 90 arson-related charges with more expected, the sheriff said.The 10 volunteer firefighters arrested were:All 10 were placed in the Robeson County Detention Center.Sealey also said the actions of the firefighters have cost taxpayers thousands of dollars."This investigation is not about any particular fire department. It's an investigation involving individuals," Insurance Commissioner and State Fire Marshal Mike Causey said.Chief State Fire Marshal Brian Taylor said all North Carolina fire departments were fully functional and that there are no coverage issues in Robeson County.The Robeson County Sheriff's Office, State Bureau of Investigation, Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, and the NC Forestry Service were involved in the investigation.The locations of fires affected were: ||||| A former volunteer firefighter and his girlfriend are responsible for all but a handful of the 77 arsons set on Virginia's Eastern Shore over the past five months, state police said Tuesday. 
 
 This image provided by the Accomack County Jail shows Charles Robert Smith III, who has been charged along with another person in an arson in Accomack, Va., Tuesday April 2, 2013. Smith, a former volunteer... (Associated Press) 
 
 A state trooper stands guard in front of a house on Airport Drive in Melfa, Va. on Tuesday, April 2, 2013. One of two people being questioned about a fire at the house has been charged in the blaze.... (Associated Press) 
 
 Charles R. Smith III, who went by the alias Charles Applegate when he served as captain of the Tasley Volunteer Fire Department several years ago, and his girlfriend, Tonya S. Bundick, were arrested early Tuesday, shortly after an abandoned residence was set ablaze. 
 
 The pair has been charged in only one fire, but Virginia State Police spokeswoman Corinne Geller said they are believed to be responsible for most of the blazes set since November. She said more charges should be filed soon. 
 
 "We now have a very complex prosecution ahead of us due to the sheer numbers of arsons these two people are responsible for setting," Geller said. 
 
 All of the fires were set in or near abandoned or unoccupied commercial and residential buildings, and no injuries were reported. 
 
 State police have previously said some of the fires appeared to be the work of a copycat or copycats, but have not said how they know that. 
 
 Bundick, 40, and Smith, 38, were each charged with one count of arson and one count of conspiracy to commit arson for Monday night's blaze. Bundick and Smith are being held in Accomack County Jail without bond, pending court appearances Wednesday. It was not immediately clear whether they had attorneys. 
 
 "This is really just the beginning of the end," Geller said, adding that the investigation into the fires continues. 
 
 Court records show that police observed a fire _ the 77th _ set just before midnight Monday at the Melfa home, but Gellar did not specify how the surveillance occurred. The criminal complaint says authorities saw an individual get dropped off, set fire to the abandoned residence, then get picked up by the same vehicle. Authorities stopped the minivan, and court records show Bundick was driving. 
 
 Geller refused to say whether the pair had confessed to setting the fires or what their motivation might have been. 
 
 All of the arsons were set in Accomack County, which borders Maryland and encompasses more than half of Virginia's Eastern Shore. The county doesn't have an arson investigator, so state police have taken the lead and have spent tens of thousands of hours on the case since Dec. 1. Early into the investigation, police identified about 800 abandoned structures in the county as potential targets. 
 
 Sometimes multiple fires miles apart were set on a single night, and state police have said they believed at least two people were working together. Police also have said there was no discernible pattern about where the fires were set, although each occurred at night. 
 
 During the evenings, the county is dependent on volunteer firefighters, who typically have day jobs, to respond to the fires. The Tasley Volunteer Fire Department Smith is one of 12 volunteer departments in Accomack County. 
 
 Residents in the sparsely populated county became accustomed to an increased police presence, with helicopters flying at night. 
 
 "There probably is a sense of relief in the community," said Julie Badger, who lives in Melfa, where the most recent fire was set. 
 
 Bundick and Smith live together in Parksley, a small community where the first deliberately set fire was lit. 
 
 Standing in front of Bundick's small, white home with bicycles in the yard, neighbor Kenneth Peters said he was surprised by the charges. He said Bundick has lived there at least five years with her two sons, and that Smith had recently moved into the home, where Virginia State Police vehicles were parked out front Tuesday. Bundick had worked as an in-home nurse, Peters said, but she's been unemployed for more than a year. 
 
 "I wouldn't think they'd be involved in stuff like that, but you never know," Peters said. 
 
 In a statement, Accomack County Sheriff Todd Godwin thanked residents for their patience and support "throughout a very extensive and arduous" investigation. 
 
 Geller said more than 1,200 tips had come in since the fires began. On Tuesday, an electronic road sign along the side of the main road through the county continued to ask the public for information. 
 
 The sign was a few dozen yards away from where an empty hotel had been set on fire. And the hotel is on the same road as the Tasley Volunteer Fire Department, where Smith had once been a leader. Firefighters who had gathered at the department Tuesday evening declined to comment on Smith's arrest. 
 
 John J. Lentini, an arson expert and consultant in Islamorada, Fla., with 38 years of experience as a fire investigator, said serial arsonists are rare _ and female serial arsonists even more so. 
 
 He also said the number of arsons on the Easter Shore is highly unusual. 
 
 "I don't know of any serial arsonist that's ever gotten by with that many," he said. "This is really unusual." 
 
 He said there are so few serial arsonists that it's difficult to find a common motivation for their behavior, although "there seems to be a lot of anger involved." 
 
 __ 
 
 Associated Press Writer Larry O'Dell contributed to this report from Richmond, Va.
– They volunteered to fight fires, but authorities say they were also purposely setting fires over a period of almost two years. After a tip led to a yearlong investigation, 10 volunteer firefighters in North Carolina's Robeson County were arrested Tuesday and charged with arson and related crimes, ABC 11 reports. So far there are 90 charges involved in the case, which involves firefighters from the Fairmont Rural Fire Department and the Orrum Fire Department, and officials say more charges are expected and more arrests could be made. "I don't understand that. I mean, the job might be boring at times, but you don't go creating fires just to have something to put out," a local, who lives near the Fairmont firehouse, tells WRAL. The firefighters are accused of setting fires in woods and at abandoned structures; WRAL and ABC 11 both have the names of those accused—among them are a police officer and a Department of Corrections officer—and specific charges. Authorities say the alleged crimes cost taxpayers thousands of dollars.