CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. – A Missouri man appeared in federal court Wednesday to be sentenced for burning down a Cape Girardeau church in 2021.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Missouri, Christopher S. Pritchard, 49, set fire to a house of worship belonging to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on West Cape Rock Drive on the evening of April 18, 2021.
Prosecutors said Pritchard was spotted watching the fire and was arrested a short time later approximately 1.5 miles away from the scene. Deputies with the Cape Girardeau County Sheriff’s Office said Pritchard smelled of smoke and had a backpack containing electronics and apples that he’d stolen from the church.
Pritchard told investigators he’d gotten into an argument with the church bishop a few days prior and made threats against both the bishop and the church.
Pritchard pleaded guilty on Dec. 19, 2024, to one count of arson and one count of violating the Church Arson Prevention Act.
A U.S. District Court judge sentenced Pritchard to 111 months in federal prison and ordered him to pay $6,968,223.36 in restitution to the church for damages.