AUSTIN, Texas — On Wednesday, March 23, a federal grand jury in Austin returned a three-count indictment charging Franklin Barrett Sechriest with crimes related to the fire set at the Congregation Beth Israel synagogue on Halloween 2021. That's according to a press release from the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ).
Sechriest, a member of the Texas State Guard and student at Texas State University in San Marcos who was 18 years old at the time of the fire, has remained in federal custody since his arrest on Nov. 12. The DOJ said that the fire at the synagogue caused over $200,000 in damage.
KVUE previously reported that Sechriest wrote "scout a target" on Oct. 31, according to an affidavit filed by the FBI. The DOJ said on Thursday, March 24, that Sechriest was seen on surveillance video carrying a five-gallon container and toilet paper toward the synagogue’s sanctuary moments before the fire was seen on security video. The DOJ also said a security camera captured Sechriest jogging away from the direction of the fire and toward the open driver’s side door of a vehicle.
The vehicle seen in the surveillance video was later traced to Sechriest's residence, which was searched by the FBI on Nov. 10. During the search, agents found evidence linking Sechriest to the fire, including a receipt for a five-gallon container similar to the one seen in the video and Sechriest's journals, which contained references to the fire, as well as hate speech.
The indictment returned on Wednesday charges Sechriest with one count each of damage to religious property, use of fire to commit a federal crime and arson. If he is convicted of all charges, Sechriest faces a minimum of 10 years and a maximum of 60 years in prison, a fine of $250,000 or twice the loss suffered by the victim and restitution for the amount of damage caused.
PHOTOS: Congregation Beth Israel fire damage
The DOJ said that a federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI and the Austin Fire Department are investigating the case.
The DOJ noted that an indictment is "merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law."
PEOPLE ARE ALSO READING: