Connecticut Man Charged With Arson in Swampscott and Marlborough

Haroldo Rodrigues-Jardim Neto, also known as “Jardim,” is accused of setting fires across two different Massachusetts municipalities during the early morning hours of October 7, 2026.

The federal charges include two counts of arson of a building or vehicle used in interstate commerce and one count of arson of federal government property.

Jardim is currently being held in Connecticut on unrelated state charges. He is scheduled to appear in federal court in Boston on November 12, 2026.

The October 7 timeline

At approximately 2:04 a.m., Jardim allegedly traveled from Connecticut to Swampscott, where he set fire to the front porch of a multifamily residential rental property. A still image from a nearby doorbell camera captured the moment the fire was allegedly started.

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Following the incident in Swampscott, Jardim is alleged to have traveled to Marlborough. Surveillance footage from a local gas station reportedly shows him filling a portable gasoline container that had been stored in his vehicle. Shortly after this stop, at approximately 3:14 a.m., he is alleged to have set fire to a privately owned Mercedes Benz parked outside a residence in Marlborough.

The final alleged act in the sequence involved a United States Postal Service (USPS) building. Authorities allege that Jardim used the same gasoline container to set fire to a USPS vehicle. The investigation involved assistance from the Swampscott Police Department and the Marlborough Police Department, as well as the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF).

Arson charges carry heavy prison sentences and fines

The federal charges carry heavy penalties for the defendant. Under current statutes, an arson charge provides for a sentence of no less than five years and up to 20 years in prison. The charges also include up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000.

A federal district court judge will ultimately determine the specific sentence based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the statutes governing criminal cases. Assistant U.S. Attorney Aidan Lang of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case, following the announcement made by United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Thomas A. Greco, the Special Agent in Charge of the ATF’s Boston Field Division.

As the legal process moves toward the November court date, the defendant remains presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

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