⏱ 2 min read
A South Carolina man’s twisted torching of a Byron church will land him in the slammer for up to 20 years. Luke Andrew Westefeld, 34, pleaded guilty to maliciously setting fire to the Byron United Methodist Church on August 20, 2024.
Westefeld asked for water from churchgoers in the parking lot after their choir practice, but when they declined, he allegedly lit the fire that ravaged the sacred space.
‘Intentionally setting fire to a house of worship is a malicious act that devastates not only a sacred space, but also reverberates throughout the entire community,’ said U.S. Attorney William R. ‘Will’ Keyes.
Local, state, and federal agencies joined forces to bring Westefeld to justice, and now he’ll face a sentence of up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
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📋 Key Facts
- Crime: Violent Crime
- Defendant: Georgia
- Location: GA
- Source: DOJ Press Release
