Rio A. Mirabal, Arson of a Building Used in Interstate Commerce, Washington 2021

A Spokane man has been sentenced to 5 years in federal prison for starting a fire at a local church. Rio A. Mirabal, 25, of Spokane, Washington, was found guilty of arson of a building used in interstate commerce.

According to court documents, Mirabal broke into the St. Charles Parrish and School, located at 4515 N. Alberta Street in Spokane, on March 26, 2021. He entered numerous rooms with a lit candle, causing a fire that spread to the church roof. Mirabal removed several bottles of communion wine, leaving behind fingerprints that identified him as the intruder.

The fire was detected by a patrol officer with the Spokane Police Department at 1:30 am. The officer noticed an orange light coming from a panel of windows and reported the fire. A second officer arrived and alerted a priest, who had been asleep in a parish residence attached to the church.

Mirabal was arrested on March 26, 2021, and has been in federal custody since then. He pleaded guilty to the offense on September 7, 2022. Mirabal’s 5-year sentence was the mandatory minimum permitted by statute for the offense.

At the sentencing hearing, Judge Rosanna Malouf Peterson noted that Mirabal had a history of both mental illness and drug abuse. There was no evidence indicating that Mirabal was motivated by any personal animosity toward the church.

Vanessa R. Waldref, the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington, praised the investigative team for identifying Mirabal as the intruder who started the fire. She noted the resources available through the Federal Bureau of Prisons to assist persons with both mental illness and drug addiction.

Mirabal will also serve three years of supervised release following his release from prison. He was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $4,981,859.07 for damages caused by the fire. The case was investigated by the Spokane Resident Office of the ATF, with significant assistance from the Spokane Police Department and Spokane Fire Department.

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