College student charged with arson in fire at Texas synagogue
An 18-year-old college student has been charged with arson over a fire that caused more than $25,000 worth of damage to a synagogue in Austin, Texas, federal officials announced Monday.
The student, Franklin Barret Sechriest, was arrested on November 12 and remains in custody at Travis County Jail, according to CBS Austin. Sechriest, a student at Texas State University, is accused of setting the fire outside the Congregation Beth Israel on October 31.
Investigators examined the scene and spoke with witnesses before determining the fire was intentionally set and ruling it an act of arson, according to a criminal complaint. They reviewed surveillance footage which showed a male suspect approaching the synagogue with what appeared to be a five-gallon container of lighter fluid and a roll of toilet paper, the complaint reads. The suspect is not captured on camera setting the fire but can be seen running away from the building as fire glows in the background.
The footage also shows the full license plate of the suspect's SUV, which was registered to a relative of Sechriest, according to the complaint. It said Sechriest and the relative lived at the same residence in San Marcos.
Investigators executed a search warrant at the residence on November 10. They recovered journals in which Sechriest allegedly prepared for the arson and attempted to track law enforcement's investigation into it, the complaint reads. In one entry, dated to October 31, the night of the fire, a statement reads: "I set a synagogue on fire."
Investigators also found an American Express credit card allegedly used to purchase a five-gallon fuel utility jug. While searching the suspect's vehicle, officials discovered ingredients to create a Molotov cocktail, according to the complaint.
If convicted, Sechriest faces up to 20 years in prison.
"Arson at a sacred place of worship shakes the very foundations of our society," said Ashley Hoff, the U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Texas. "This Office strongly condemns the intentional act of violence alleged in the complaint and will vigorously prosecute this type of conduct to the fullest extent possible."
Attorneys for Sechriest did not respond to CBS News' request for comment.
A Texas State University spokesperson said the college was aiding the investigation. "Our university decries this hateful act of bigotry and violence and all the anti-Semitic events perpetrated recently in Austin, San Antonio, and San Marcos," the spokesperson said Tuesday.
Senior Rabbi Steven Folberg, who has served at the synagogue for over 30 years, expressed relief over the arrest. "There's a certain amount of relief for people in the Jewish community that someone who is accused of perpetrating such a violent and bigoted act is in custody," Folberg told CBS Austin.