Twenty-two-year-old Holden Matthews of Opelousas has pleaded guilty in federal and state court to burning down three historically black St. Landry Parish baptist churches last spring.
As part of the deal, Matthews pleaded guilty to three federal counts of intentional damage to religious property, a hate crime under the 1996 Church Arson Prevention Act.
Former US Attorney Harry Rosenberg expects Matthews will receive a lengthy sentence.
“Going back several decades when this act was passed by Congress, individuals that have been sentenced have received some very stiff sentences,” says Rosenberg.
Using fire to commit a federal felony carries a minimum ten-year sentence, and each of his three violations of the Church Arson Act carries up to a 20-year sentence.
Rosenberg says pleading out may have saved Matthews a few years, but it’s clear the authorities had overwhelming evidence against him. Plus, he had a very weak defense.
“He tried to explain his conduct by saying it was to enhance the name recognition of his band. It was not the way to go about it obviously, and he is going to pay dearly for it,” says Rosenberg.
Matthews says it was an attempt to replicate similar actions taken by a black metal band in Sweden decades ago.
Matthews will be sentenced on May 22nd. Rosenberg does not expect the son of a St. Landry Parish deputy to receive any leniency.
“This was one of the more severe crimes that anybody could commit given the kind of hate nature of the crime and that I think is what is going to resonate at the time of sentencing,” says Rosenberg.
Rosenberg says it’s likely any state charges he faces will be served concurrently with the federal charges.
