The man who was arrested in Maine after setting fire to his Wayne Township home pleaded guilty to four felony charges Wednesday morning in common pleas court.

In December, Stephen Niles Jr. was accused of burning a house on Candlestick Drive, where he used to live with his wife.

According to Assistant Prosecuting Attorney John Litle, Niles was separated from his wife but still had access to the house they previously shared.

Litle said Niles had been attempting to contact and locate his wife all night before threatening to burn the house down and eventually following through with his statements.

On Dec. 9, Niles Jr. was seen driving away in his pick-up truck after the house had been set ablaze in the early morning hours.

Litle said Niles’ wedding ring was found in the driveway.

A cat, which Litle noted Niles disliked, was killed in the fire, and a dog, which Litle note Niles liked, was released before the house was torched.

Additionally, Litle said firefighters had to prevent the neighbor’s house from catching fire since its siding was melting from the heat.

The Muskingum County Sheriff’s Office, along with fire marshals, launched a search for Niles following the fire investigation.

Niles eventually turned himself in for questioning that evening before being released.

In January, Niles was added to the county’s most wanted list. He was later found and arrested in Bangor, Maine, on a warrant out of Muskingum County for charges related to the fire.

According to Litle, the truck Niles drove away from the scene in has not been recovered.

Monday, Niles pleaded guilty to one count second-degree felony count of aggravated arson, one third-degree felony count of attempted arson, one third-degree felony count of tampering with evidence and one fifth-degree felony count of cruelty to animals.

Niles remains in custody at the Muskingum County Jail where he is being held on a $100,000 bond.