From Pennsylvania State Police
An Indiana County man has been charged by the Pennsylvania State Police (PSP) with several counts of arson following investigation into a series of suspicious fires in Indiana County.
Christopher Scott Brady, 38, formerly of Penn Run, PA, was charged today with four felony counts of arson and related offenses. Charges were filed at Magisterial District Court 40-3-02.
Brady was arraigned before Magisterial District Judge Susanne Steffee and was remanded to the Indiana County Jail in lieu of $2,000,000 monetary bail.
In 2024-2025, the PSP Troop A Fire Marshal Unit conducted four separate origin and cause fire investigations within the same geographical location of Cherryhill Township, Indiana County with suspicious circumstances surrounding each fire.
The dates, locations, and nature of the fires are as follows:
• October 9, 2024 and July 18, 2025 at 8715 Route 422 Highway East for two separate commercial structure fires at the Eastern Orthodox Foundation
• August 10, 2025 at 8289 Route 422 Highway East for a commercial structure fire at Pike’s Peak Nurseries
• August 11, 2025 at 10 South Harmony Road for a vacant residence on fire
On July 17, 2025, a burglary occurred within a separate structure occupied by Spirit Life and located on the property owned by Eastern Orthodox Foundation. A black-colored pickup truck with a silver toolbox was observed fleeing the scene on surveillance video.
In the course of the investigation, that vehicle was identified and found to belong to the defendant, Brady.
Cellular data and location history was obtained with the assistance of PSP Cellular Analysis Unit and a device belonging to Brady was found to have been located at the scene or in the area of the fires. At the time, Brady lived within the same geographical location of all the fires.
The total estimated property loss for the fires is $2,475,000.
A preliminary hearing is scheduled for August 25 at 10:15 a.m.
