Columbia Man Pleads Guilty in Caldwell Parish Church Fire

MONROE, La. — A Columbia man has pleaded guilty to federal arson for burning St. John Chapel, the only Catholic church in Caldwell Parish, in a fire investigators say was set during a burglary in the early morning hours before Holy Week began.

Anthony Dillon Jr., 19, entered his plea in federal court on August 31. He now faces a mandatory minimum of five years in prison and a maximum of 20 years.

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What Happened at St. John Chapel

Court documents show Dillon and an accomplice broke into St. John Chapel on March 27 intending to steal electronic equipment, including several television sets. After removing the TVs from the church, the two set a fire in the building’s administrative area, igniting a wooden filing cabinet with an accelerant.

A fire-accelerant detection canine alerted investigators to the point of origin, and forensic testing later confirmed an accelerant had been used there. The fire caused extensive damage to the church’s sanctuary.

The fire happened right as Holy Week, the most important week on the Christian calendar leading up to Easter, was set to begin.

Since the arson, parishioners have kept their congregation together by holding weekly Mass at a local clinic while the church itself remains damaged. The community has also set up a restoration fund to help rebuild.

What US Attorney Zachary Keller Said

U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Keller, who is prosecuting the case for the Western District of Louisiana, called the plea a step toward justice for the parish.

“Today’s guilty plea represents another step toward our Office seeking justice for the wanton and brazen burning of St. John Chapel, the sole Catholic church in Caldwell Parish,” Keller said. He added that the case reflects his office’s commitment to working with federal and state law enforcement partners “to protect and serve our rural communities.”

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Louisiana State Fire Marshal, the Caldwell Parish Sheriff’s Office and the FBI investigated the arson. Keller is prosecuting the case with help from Special Assistant U.S. Attorney S. Charlotte Farshian and Paralegal Specialist Joanne Henry-Mills.

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