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What is church arson charges
|Thanks for visiting Spodek Law Group. We’re a second-generation law firm managed by Todd Spodek, bringing over 40 years of combined experience to federal criminal defense. You might know us from high-profile cases – Todd represented Anna Delvey in the case that became a Netflix series, handled the Ghislaine Maxwell juror misconduct matter, and defended clients in cases others called unwinnable. When you’re facing federal charges that could end your life as you know it, you want attorneys who’ve been there before.
Church arson charges under federal law carry consequences that go far beyond typical arson cases. This article explains what 18 USC 247 criminalizes, when federal jurisdiction applies, what prosecutors must prove, and what sentences defendants are actually receiving in 2025. If you’re under investigation or charged with damaging religious property, understanding this statute could mean the difference between years in federal prison or avoiding conviction entirely.
The Federal Statute – Two Separate Crimes
18 USC 247 creates two distinct federal offenses. First – intentionally defacing, damaging, or destroying religious real property because of the religious character of that property. Second – intentionally obstructing, by force or threat of force, any person in the enjoyment of that person’s free exercise of religious beliefs.
The statute also criminalizes attacks on religious property because of the race, color, or ethnic characteristics of any individual associated with that religious property. That’s the civil rights component – and it’s why these cases get assigned to DOJ’s Civil Rights Division, not just ordinary federal prosecutors.
Congress passed the Church Arson Prevention Act in 1996 after a wave of church burnings targeting African-American churches. Between 1996 and 1999, reported arsons at houses of worship dropped 53%. Federal involvement works.
When State Arson Becomes a Federal Case
Not every church fire brings federal charges. The government must prove the offense “is in or affects interstate or foreign commerce.” That sounds technical – but it’s easier to establish than you’d think.
If you crossed state lines, used a cell phone, or bought materials online – that’s interstate commerce. If the church building was constructed with materials from out of state – that affects interstate commerce. Federal prosecutors are creative about establishing jurisdiction.
In September 2025, Natasha Marie O’Dell was sentenced to six years in prison for burning Seattle Laestadian Lutheran Church in Snohomish County, Washington. The fire caused over $3.2 million in damage. O’Dell was tracked through cell phone records, credit card records, and surveillance video showing her with a gasoline container. She’d driven from Texas to Washington – clear interstate travel.
ATF agents pull cell tower data, financial records, surveillance footage from nearby businesses, gas station purchases. They build cases that connect you to the scene through multiple data points. By the time they arrest you, they’ve already built most of their case.
What Prosecutors Must Prove – Intent Is Everything
The word “intentionally” appears throughout 18 USC 247, and it’s not just decoration. Prosecutors must prove you targeted the property specifically because of its religious character. Burning down a building that happens to be a church isn’t enough – you needed to select that target because it was a church.
In September 2025, Stefan Day Rowold was convicted by a federal jury in Mississippi on six counts of arson and civil rights charges for vandalizing and setting fire to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in Wiggins, Mississippi. Prosecutors proved Rowold targeted the church because of his disagreement with what he believed to be their religious views. That’s the intent element – he picked that building because it was a Mormon church, not because it was convenient or unoccupied.
Christopher Scott Pritchard pleaded guilty in December 2024 to arson charges for setting fire to a Church of Latter-Day Saints in Missouri. He faces a mandatory minimum of five years and up to 20 years in prison.
Defense attorneys attack the intent element. Was this really about religion, or something else? Maybe you had a personal dispute with someone at the church. Maybe the religious aspect was incidental. Without proof of religious animus, the federal charge fails.
Penalties Range From Serious to Catastrophic
If you used fire or explosives – which most church arsons involve – you’re looking at a minimum of five years and a maximum of 20 years. If someone suffers bodily injury, the maximum increases. If death results, you can face life in prison or even the death penalty.
O’Dell received six years for a fire that caused $3.2 million in damage. Rowold faces sentencing in January 2026 on charges that carry a minimum of five years per count, with multiple counts running consecutively. Pritchard is looking at five to 20 years on his plea agreement.
These cases require written certification from the Attorney General that prosecution is in the public interest and necessary to secure substantial justice. Someone high up at DOJ personally approved charging your case federally.
Federal Investigations Are Different
When ATF opens a church arson investigation, they’re not just looking at who lit the match. Since 1996, when the National Church Arson Task Force was created, the federal arrest rate in these cases has been 36.2% – more than twice the national average for arson cases. They coordinate with FBI and DOJ’s Civil Rights Division. They use federal grand juries to compel testimony and documents. They analyze your digital footprint – social media posts, text messages, internet searches about the targeted church or religion.
Defenses That Actually Work
Lack of intent to target religious character is the strongest defense. If you can show the religious aspect was incidental – you were angry at an individual who worked there, you had a psychotic break and don’t remember selecting the target – you might avoid federal conviction. Challenging the interstate commerce element is harder but possible in rare cases.
Mental health defenses come up frequently. Many defendants were experiencing severe psychological crises when they committed these acts. That doesn’t eliminate criminal liability, but it can affect sentencing and might support arguments for treatment rather than lengthy incarceration.
If You’re Under Investigation
Do not talk to investigators without an attorney present. ATF and FBI agents are skilled at getting people to make admissions that seem innocent but establish elements of the offense. They’ll tell you they just want to hear your side – but they’re building a case, not looking for reasons to clear you.
Anything you post online about religion, churches, or the incident will be used against you. Prosecutors will present your social media history to the jury to prove your intent. Delete nothing – that’s obstruction of justice – but add nothing either.
At Spodek Law Group, we’ve handled federal cases where the stakes couldn’t be higher – cases involving allegations others said were unwinnable. Our managing partner Todd Spodek is a second-generation criminal defense lawyer with many, many years of experience in federal court. We understand how federal prosecutors think, because we’ve faced them before. We know what works.
Church arson charges combine property crimes, civil rights violations, and federal jurisdiction in ways that multiply your exposure. The government treats these cases as attacks on fundamental freedoms. You need counsel who can match that level of preparation. If federal agents want to talk to you about a church fire, call us before you say anything.