By Marie McCain
The Cincinnati Enquirer

WAYNE TWP. - You could say Brandon Martin and his wife, Jennifer, were versatile when it came to the work they did involving Wayne Township's Fire Department.

He helped fight blazes as a volunteer firefighter. She helped raise money to support the department.

And, investigators charge, they both started fires.

A Clermont County grand jury has indicted Mr. Martin, 27, and Mrs. Martin, 25, on two counts each of felony arson related to two fires set last year.

The Martins, of Blanchester, were arrested early Thursday and are being held in the Clermont County Jail pending arraignment.

Officials say the two are responsible for setting fires June 10 and June 12. The first fire destroyed a house under construction in the 6400 block of Marathon-Edenton Road, in Goshen.

The second fire destroyed a barn in the 6400 block of Taylor Pike, in Blanchester.

No one was hurt in either fire.

Officials said the fires were among a series of suspicious blazes from July 2001 to June 2002.

There were 18 fires, and all involved unoccupied structures, according to Clermont County Sheriff A.J. "Tim" Rodenberg Jr.

Mr. Martin helped extinguish both of the fires he is believed to have set, officials said.

Wayne Township trustees were meeting Thursday night to determine Mr. Martin's job status, according to Wayne Township Deputy Fire Chief Karl Smith.

If convicted as charged, the Martins could each spend up to three years in prison.

Two other men, unrelated to the incidents involving the Martins, were indicted in September in connection with a suspicious fire set last March.

Brandon Dietrich, 19, of Blanchester, and Paul Nicely, 20, of Williamsburg, are accused of a setting a fire that destroyed a vacant house in the 3400 block of Ingle Road, in Wayne Township.

Each has been charged with one count of felony arson, and could face up to 18 months in prison.

E-mail mmccain@enquirer.com