A 24-year-old man, John Jones, has admitted to intentionally setting fire to the South Bushwick Reformed Church in Brooklyn, a blaze that gutted the 173-year-old structure on June 19. According to federal prosecutors, Jones also confessed to attempting to burn down a second church in Brooklyn.
Federal prosecutors revealed in a detention memo that a notebook belonging to Jones contained a chart with disturbing categories such as “murder them,” “kill them,” “stab them,” “make them pay,” and “rape him.” The chart included tally marks and repeated misspellings of the word “church.”
Jones was charged with arson and faces a minimum sentence of five years and a maximum of 20 years if convicted. He is currently being held without bail. Prosecutors have indicated that Jones admitted to the church arson during an interview with law enforcement.
Authorities linked Jones to the June fire after video footage showed him attempting to enter the church. He was unsuccessful and subsequently purchased a lighter from a nearby bodega. Footage then captured him returning to the church before a large fire erupted, according to prosecutors.
The fire caused the collapse of the church's historic spire and significantly damaged the interior, destroying thousands of artifacts.
Jones was apprehended by law enforcement on Wednesday in Midtown Manhattan after attempting to shoplift a turkey sandwich, donuts, and a soda from a CVS store. He made an appearance in Manhattan Criminal Court on Thursday for the shoplifting charge, where he was also held without bail.