Man admits to setting fires at predominantly Black church in Rhode Island

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) — A Rhode Island man has admitted to using gasoline to set several fires around the exterior of a predominantly Black church earlier this year, according to a federal plea agreement.

Prosecutors said Kevin Colantonio set several fires around the exterior of the Shiloh Gospel Temple early Feb. 11 in North Providence after purchasing a lighter and gasoline.

The building was vacant at the time and the fires were quickly extinguished by members of the North Providence Police and Fire departments, investigators said. The fires caused property damage.

A lawyer representing Colantonio didn’t immediately respond to an email seeking comment.

Without the quick action of first responders who arrived at the church at about 12:12 a.m. following reports of an individual trying to set fires, the damage to the house of worship would have been catastrophic, investigators said at the time.

Zachary Cunha, U.S. Attorney for the District of Rhode Island, said at the time of Colantonio’s arrest that a search of his home turned up notebooks and writings that included phrases like “burn churches down to the ground,” “hunt them down,” and “gun everyone down who isn’t white.”

The plea agreement, which was filed in federal court last week, states that Colantonio intentionally targeted the church because of the “actual or perceived race, color, religion, national origin, and/or ethnicity of the congregants.”

Most of the Pentecostal congregation, which has been established for about 35 years, is Black and African American, according to investigators.

No injuries were reported.

Colantonio faces four counts: obstruction of the free exercise of religious beliefs; malicious damage by means of fire; and two counts of assault on a federal officer.

If served consecutively, Colantonio faces 56 years in prison, with a mandatory minimum sentence of 5 years, a fine of $1 million and three years of supervised release.

A change of plea hearing is scheduled for Jan. 7.