Mirabal sentenced to federal prison for church arson
By Terry Murry on Thursday, January 19th, 2023 in Columbia Basin News More Top Stories
SPOKANE – A Spokane man has been sentenced to five years in federal prison for arson and ordered to pay $4.9 million dollars in restitution for damages caused by a fire he started at St. Charles Parish and School, 4515 N. Alberta St., in Spokane.
Rios A Mirabal, 25, pleaded guilty on Sept. 7, 2022, to the offense. He has been in federal custody since his arrest on March 26, 2021.
Security video later revealed that Mirabal broke into the church and entered numerous rooms with a lit candle. Smoke began coming out of the doors minutes after Mirabal exited each room. Mirabal also removed several bottles of communion wine on which he left fingerprints that identified him as the intruder.
At the sentencing hearing, the judge noted that Mirabal had a history of both mental illness and drug abuse. There was no evidence indicating that Mirabal was motivated by any personal animosity toward the church.
