Man gets 3 months in jail for Minnesota synagogue fire

DULUTH, Minn. – A homeless man who pleaded guilty to starting a fire that destroyed a 117-year-old synagogue in Minnesota has been sentenced to three months in jail and 192 hours of community service.

KTTC-TV reports 36-year-old Matthew Amiot was sentenced Friday. He pleaded guilty last month to negligent fire charges.

Amiot received credit for the 36 days he has already served in jail.

The fire destroyed the Adas Israel Synagogue in Duluth on Sept. 9. Authorities say Amiot used a lighter to ignite combustible materials outside the main building, near a separate religious structure called a sukkah.

Amiot told police he tried to spit on the fire to put it out and walked away when that didn’t work.

Police don’t believe the fire was a hate crime.