A resident of Arizona was indicted on Tuesday for a hate crime offense over burning down part of a synagogue in Casa Grande, the US Justice Department’s Public Affairs Office announced on Thursday.
Casa Grande resident Everardo Gregorio was charged with obstruction of the free exercise of religious belief by fire, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, or both.
According to the allegation, the 31-year-old burned down part of the Khal Chasidim synagogue on March 3. The section of the shul that was set ablaze contained a worship hall, a kosher grocery store, and a restaurant.
Condemning the synagogue arson
Gregorio is also facing arson charges in a pending case being prosecuted by the Pinal County Attorney’s Office.
The Anti-Defamation League praised both the county and federal prosecutors for taking action and said it would continue to monitor both cases.
The Casa Grande Fire Marshal’s Office said on Facebook that a suspect was arrested on March 6, three days after the fire. It added that it had cooperated with local police and the Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives Bureau to investigate and apprehend the suspected arsonist.
“Our office takes fire investigations seriously, especially when they impact places of worship and community gathering,” said Casa Grande Fire Marshal Frank Ricci.