Two fires in Conti's neighborhood remain under investigation. The Jan. 5 fire at 1 Hingham Road was within sight of the 6 Airport Road home that was set ablaze on Jan. 2.
Photo credit: Jennifer Lord Paluzzi (file photo)

GRAFTON, Mass. - A Grafton man arrested Tuesday morning on arson charges after he allegedly set fire to construction equipment in Worcester has a long history of run-ins with the law.

Charles Conti, 63, of 7 Airport Road is alleged to have set fire to two construction construction trucks at Amorello and Sons at 115 Southwest Cutoff, according to Worcester District Court records.

Grafton Police assisted Worcester Police with the arrest at around 1 a.m. Tuesday. Conti was charged with two counts of burning a motor vehicle and one count of malicious destruction of property worth more than $250. He was ordered held on $100,000 cash bail.

Conti's long record of convictions was the primary reason for six-figure bail, according to court documents.

Going back as far as 1967, Conti has been involved in 67 court cases, though not all cases resulted in convictions.

The list begins with a liquor law violation in 1967. Highlights include 1969, when Conti was charged with larceny of a motor vehicle, attaching the wrong license plates to a motor vehicle and compulsory insurance violations.

In 1970, the charges were two counts of assault on a police officer and disturbing the peace. Then in 1972 he was charges with trespassing and malicious destruction of property.

Jump to 1981, when Conti faced charges at three district courts, including Gardner, Westborough and Worcester. He was charged with assault and battery on a police officer, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon and operating a motor vehicle to endanger lives and safetyin Gardner. Later that year he was charged with wanton destruction of property, threat to cause bodily harm and assault and battery with a dangerous weapon in Westborough. In Worcester he faces charges of operating a motor vehicle to endanger lives and safety and violating the laws of the road.

In 1989, he was again charged with operating a motor vehicle to endanger lives and safety (three counts), leaving the scene of property damage and assault with a dangerous weapon.

In 1993, Conti was charged with lewd and lacivious behavior and disturbing the peace.

Then in 2001, Conti was charged with trespassing, possession of burglarious tools, resisting arrest and assault with a dangerous weapon.

A year later, he was charged with intimidating a witness, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, failure to obey an officer, resisting arrest and operating a motor vehicle with a revoked license.