PARIS — Two men accused of stealing cars and setting them on fire this past December pleaded not guilty Tuesday in Oxford County Superior Court to several charges of arson, theft and criminal mischief.

Cody A. Parmenter, 19, of Little Chatham Road in Fryeburg faces one charge of arson, three charges of theft and one count each of criminal mischief and aggravated criminal mischief.

Derek J. Foster, 21, of Mechanic Falls, faces one arson charge, six theft charges, three criminal mischief charges, aggravated criminal mischief, receiving stolen property and burglary of a motor vehicle.

Foster was arrested on Little Chatham Road on the morning of Dec. 21, 2012, after crashing a vehicle on nearby Route 113 and fleeing on foot. He was found by Maine State Police Trooper Adam Fillebrown and his tracking dog. Detective Tom Harriman of the Oxford County Sheriff’s Office said Foster was found with items reported stolen from cars.

Foster is accused of stealing vehicles from Brownfield, Denmark, Fryeburg and Stow, and two from Chatham, N.H., Harriman said. One of the stolen vehicles was burned.

Harriman said that during the investigation, Parmenter was also found to be involved in several of the vehicle thefts but is not believed to be involved in the two stolen in New Hampshire. He said the night of Dec. 20 into the morning of Dec. 21, 2012, was a “blinding snowstorm” and many of the vehicles were found stuck in the snow and damaged. The two men took vehicles from residences, Harriman said, after finding the keys.

treaves@sunjournal.com