In a federal plea agreement, a Rhode Islander admitted to using gasoline to ignite several fires outside a predominantly Black Church in the early part of this year.
According to prosecutors Kevin Colantonio set fire to Shiloh Gospel Temple, in North Providence, early on the morning of February 11, 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.
Colantonio’s attorney declined to comment.
The damage to the church would have been catastrophic if the first responders had not acted quickly. They arrived at the church at 12:12 am after receiving reports of an individual attempting to start a blaze.
Zachary Cunha, U.S. Attorney for the District of Rhode Island, said that during Colantonio’s arrest, the search of Colantonio’s home turned up notebooks with phrases like “burn churches to the ground,” “hunt them down” and “gun down everyone who isn’t white.”
According to a plea agreement filed in federal court last week, Colantonio targeted the church because of its “actual or perceived race, color, religion, nationality and ethnicity.”
According to investigators, the majority of those who attend this Pentecostal Church, which has been around for 35 years, are Black or African American.
No injuries have been reported.
Colantonio faces four charges, including obstruction of the free exercise of religious beliefs; malicious fire damage; and assault on a federal agent.
Colantonio faces up to 56 years of prison if his sentences are consecutive. Colantonio would be facing a minimum sentence of 5 years, accompanied by a $1 million fine and 3 years of supervised release.
The hearing for changing pleas has been scheduled for January 7th.
