In a troubling incident that underscores the dangerous intersection of social media and real-world crime, a Michigan man stands accused of launching a series of Molotov cocktails at a family’s residence. The alleged perpetrator’s actions appear to have been fueled by an unhealthy obsession with an underage girl he had become acquainted with through social media platforms, according to authorities.

Alex Buley-Neumar, 25, now faces serious legal repercussions. The Livingston County Sheriff’s Office has charged him with several offenses, including the manufacturing and possession of Molotov cocktails, aggravated stalking of a minor, using a computer to facilitate a crime, and attempting to lure a child for immoral purposes. If found guilty on all counts, Buley-Neumar could face a maximum sentence of 44 years behind bars. The charges were formally announced by the Sheriff’s Office in a statement released on Friday.

The harrowing event unfolded on the evening of November 28, around 9:30 p.m., in the quiet community of Brighton Township. According to a press release from the sheriff’s office, an individual was seen hurling incendiary devices at a home on Burson Drive, resulting in several fires being ignited in the residential area.

Fortunately, swift action by local deputies and vigilant neighbors helped prevent a potentially disastrous situation. The community members managed to extinguish the flames quickly, averting what law enforcement officials acknowledged could have been a catastrophic outcome.

Deputies responded to the scene, and neighbors “quickly extinguished the flames, preventing what could have been a catastrophic outcome,” according to law enforcement.

Five Molotov cocktails were recovered, according to Detroit-based ABC affiliate WXYZ, with nearby video surveillance footage showing bright bursts of flame spreading on the residential block before the neighbors put them out.

Deputies surveyed all of the evidence they could find, and Buley-Neumar was identified as the suspect by law enforcement.

“[T]he attack was connected to an ongoing stalking and harassment case involving a juvenile victim over social media platforms,” according to the sheriff’s office.

“It’s really scary to know that someone drove an hour away just to come throw fireballs at someone’s house,” a local resident told the local TV station.

Buley-Neumar is from Mount Pleasant, Michigan, which is located about 115 miles north of Brighton Township.

With the help of the city’s police department, the defendant was arrested on Nov. 29 and brought to the Livingston County Jail.

On Monday, he was arraigned and ordered held on a $1 million cash bond.

The sheriff’s office said it expects additional charges to be filed against the defendant. Buley-Neumar is due back in court next week.

Brighton Township, Michigan, is located about 45 miles west of Detroit.