Missouri resident Christopher Scott Pritchard has pleaded guilty to burning a Mormon Church in a hate crimes case. Photo credit: Cape Girardeau County Sheriff's Office.
Pritchard admitted that he intentionally burned the church, which led to the complete destruction of the church building, according to a Justice Department press release.
Sentencing is scheduled for February 18, 2025.
The plea agreement shared bizarre details.
On the evening of April 18, 2021, around 9:30, people who were located near the Cape Girardeau Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints saw the smoke and flames coming from the roof. Among them were two motorists who were passing by and called 911. Along with the smoke, they noticed a suspicious male wearing a black hoodie and carrying a large backpack, standing nearby and watching the smoke.
Once the police arrived, the motorists described the man. Officers managed to locate him and asked him to come to the Sheriff’s office for questioning. After he accepted, Pritchard sat in the police car, where the officer noted that he “smelled like smoke.”
Police arrested Pritchard on suspicion of arson and found several items, including two extension cords, a projector, a laptop, computer speakers and 21 individually bagged red apples in his backpack.
These items were identified by the Church members as the property of the Church that was left in the gym earlier that evening. They also said that they left the gym around 8:15 PM, making sure that the doors were locked because of his recent threats.
Pritchard admitted in testimony at his initial hearing that he had a verbal altercation with the Mormon church Bishop a few days before. During that altercation, he threatened to assault the Bishop and burn the Church down.
In a statement, U.S. Attorney Sayler A. Fleming for the Eastern District of Missouri said, “An attack on a church is devastating for the community and even more so for the members of that church.”
“Christopher Pritchard’s guilty plea today is the first step toward bringing justice for this crime,” Fleming said.
FBI Criminal Investigative Division Assistant Director Chad Yarbrough said, “No one should live in fear because of their religious beliefs.”
“The FBI will vigorously pursue anyone who attempts to infringe upon the ability of congregants to exercise their constitutional right to religious freedom,” Yarbrough said.
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