Church Burned, Hate Charged: MA Arson Suspects Nabbed

SPRINGFIELD, MA – Sixteen years after flames gutted the nearly completed Macedonia Church of God in Christ, federal prosecutors have finally arrested three men in connection with the racially motivated arson. Benjamin Haskell, 22, Michael Jacques, 24, and Thomas Gleason, 21, all of Springfield, were taken into custody this morning, accused of deliberately torching the church in a hate-fueled attack.

The fire, which erupted in the early hours of November 5, 2008, virtually destroyed the structure, leaving only the metal framework and a small corner standing. Investigators quickly determined the blaze wasn’t accidental. Gasoline was used, liberally applied both inside and outside the building, to ensure total destruction. The Macedonia Church was set to serve a predominantly African American congregation, a fact federal authorities are emphasizing as key to the motivation behind the crime.

Acting Assistant Attorney General Grace Chung Becker declared the arrests a demonstration of the federal commitment to enforcing civil rights laws. “Racial violence tears at the fabric of our great nation and will not be tolerated,” Becker stated. But for the members of the Macedonia Church, and the Springfield community, the message rings hollow after so many years without accountability. The delay in bringing charges is sure to fuel questions about the prioritization of this case.

According to unsealed court documents, Haskell, Jacques, and Gleason allegedly conspired to target the church and its parishioners, aiming to intimidate and oppress them for exercising their constitutional rights. Hampden County District Attorney William Bennett minced no words: “This crime has caused a great deal of physical and emotional harm. It is a crime against our entire community… we are also resolved to hold those responsible accountable.”

U.S. Attorney Michael J. Sullivan expressed outrage, stating, “Racism has devastating effects on individuals, and stifles the quality of life in the community. I am angered and saddened that the neighborhood has endured such cruel acts by those living in the same community.” The feds are charging the three men with conspiracy to injure, oppress, threaten, and intimidate, a civil rights violation carrying a potential sentence of up to ten years in prison, followed by three years of supervised release.

The investigation was a joint effort involving the FBI, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Massachusetts State Police, Hampden County District Attorney’s Office, and the Springfield Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorney Erin Aslan of the Civil Rights Division and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Paul Smyth and Kevin O’Regan. It’s crucial to remember that these are allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law, but the evidence, after 16 years, appears damning.