Missouri resident admits guilt in arson case involving church fire destruction

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo.
— A man from Missouri may face a lengthy prison term of up to 25 years after he confessed to igniting a fire that ultimately consumed a church.
Christopher Scott Pritchard, aged 48, entered a guilty plea in federal court on Thursday, facing two charges related to the fire that destroyed The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints located in Cape Girardeau on April 28, 2021. The fire spread rapidly, completely demolishing the structure. Fortunately, no individuals were present during the incident, resulting in no injuries, but the church suffered total destruction.
Officials noted that two days before the fire, church authorities had reached out for extra police monitoring, following Pritchard’s threats to attack a bishop and to “burn the church down.”
Pritchard is scheduled to be sentenced on February 18. He faces a potential maximum sentence of 20 years for infringing upon the Church Arson Prevention Act, alongside a mandatory five-year term for the arson of a building that impacts foreign or interstate commerce.