CAPE GIRARDEAU, MO – Christopher Scott Pritchard, 49, is headed to federal prison for over nine years after admitting to torching a Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in Cape Girardeau, Missouri, back in April 2021. U.S. District Judge Matthew T. Schelp handed down the 111-month sentence yesterday, alongside an order for Pritchard to pay a staggering $6,968,223.36 in restitution to cover the extensive damage.
The fire, deliberately set on the evening of April 28, 2021, completely destroyed the house of worship, disrupting religious services for the congregation. Authorities quickly zeroed in on Pritchard, spotting him observing the blaze and apprehending him roughly 1.5 miles from the scene. The Cape Girardeau County Sheriff’s Office found Pritchard reeking of smoke and carrying a backpack stuffed with stolen goods – a laptop, projector, speakers, and, bizarrely, 21 apples pilfered from the church itself.
Investigators soon pieced together a motive. Pritchard had engaged in a heated argument with the church’s Bishop days before the arson, reportedly threatening both physical assault and the destruction of the building. He followed through on that threat, bringing the congregation’s religious practice to a screeching halt. Fortunately, no one was physically injured in the fire, but the emotional and spiritual toll on the community was significant.
Pritchard pleaded guilty on December 19, 2024, to one count of arson and one count of violating the Church Arson Prevention Act. The case was a joint effort led by the FBI St. Louis Field Office, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Cape Girardeau County Sheriff’s Office, and the Missouri State Fire Marshal’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul Hahn prosecuted the case, with support from the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section.
“There is no place in America for criminal acts against houses of worship,” declared Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. The sentiment, while predictable, underscores the federal government’s commitment to protecting religious institutions, even as the nation grapples with a surge in extremist activity. U.S. Attorney Sayler A. Fleming for the Eastern District of Missouri joined Dhillon in the announcement of the sentencing.
The hefty restitution order suggests the damage to the church was substantial, reflecting not just the cost of rebuilding, but also the loss of irreplaceable religious artifacts and the disruption of community life. Pritchard’s sentence serves as a stark warning: targeting places of worship will be met with the full force of federal law, even if the motive is rooted in personal animosity and petty theft. The Grimy Times will continue to follow this case and report on any further developments.
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