Darion Ray Sexton, Arson, Colorado 2023

LOVELAND, CO – Darion Ray Sexton, 22, is headed to federal prison for 39 months after pleading guilty to intentionally setting fire to a church in Loveland, Colorado, on January 19, 2023. Sexton hurled two Molotov cocktails at the building – one at the front door, the other at the basement – in a calculated act of arson motivated by religious hate.

Court documents reveal Sexton admitted to targeting the church specifically because of its religious character, with the explicit intent to cause its destruction. This wasn’t a random act of vandalism; it was a deliberate assault on a place of worship and the community it serves. The fire, thankfully, didn’t cause any injuries, but the damage was significant.

“This defendant has now been held accountable for his deliberate attack on the church,” stated Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “No one should live in fear because of their religious beliefs.” The feds are keen to show they’re taking these attacks seriously, but the damage to faith communities runs deeper than a prison sentence.

U.S. Attorney Cole Finegan for the District of Colorado emphasized the importance of protecting religious freedom. “Religious freedom means being free to worship without fear,” he said. “Our office will take every appropriate action to ensure that every Coloradan enjoys this essential freedom.” Words are cheap; it’s the follow-through that matters.

The investigation was a joint effort between the FBI, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and the Loveland Police and Fire Departments. ATF agents deployed a certified fire investigator, accelerant detection canine, and laboratory services to analyze the scene. Special Agent in Charge Brent Beavers of the ATF stated that arson “undermines the sense of safety within places of worship.” The FBI noted their commitment to resources for potential victims, citing an event held with faith leaders the day before the attack.

Sexton’s guilty plea, entered on May 5, 2023, secured his conviction on a federal hate crime charge. Assistant U.S. Attorney Bryan D. Fields and Trial Attorney Maura White prosecuted the case. While Sexton will spend the next three years behind bars, the underlying hatred that fueled this attack remains a threat, and the community will grapple with the fallout for some time to come. This case serves as a stark reminder that religious institutions are not immune to the rising tide of extremism.

MORE FEDERAL CRIME NEWS

Weapons

Shavarius Smith, Possession of Ammunition by a Felon, Connecticut 2022

Apr 9, 2026

Weapons

Willie Hunter Jr, Gun Possession, Florida 2023

Jun 18, 2024

Weapons

James Faddis Kennedy, Possession of an Unregistered Firearm, Montana 2023

Apr 9, 2026

Weapons

Luis Eduardo Terminel Jr., Conspiracy to Smuggle Goods from the United States, Arizona 2023

Apr 9, 2026