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Casa Grande man indicted in synagogue fire
A Casa Grande man has been indicted by a Federal grand jury in Phoenix for his alleged role in setting a Jewish community center on fire. The 31-year-old suspect is accused of "Obstruction of the Free Exercise of Religious Beliefs by Fire."
CASA GRANDE, Ariz. - Officials with the U.S. Department of Justice announced on Nov. 20 that an Arizona man has been indicted for his alleged role in a fire that severely damaged a synagogue in Casa Grande.
What we know:
Per a statement, 31-year-old Everardo Gregorio was indicted on Nov. 18 by a federal grand jury in Phoenix on a count of Obstruction of the Free Exercise of Religious Beliefs by Fire.
"Gregorio has also been charged with arson by the Pinal County Attorney’s Office and is currently pending trial in that case," read a portion of the statement.
The backstory:
According to our previous report, the incident happened at the Khal Chasidim Jewish Community Center on March 3.
Per Justice officials, the fire also destroyed a kosher grocery store and restaurant that operated out of the building.
Officials with the Casa Grande Police Department said Gregorio was arrested days after the incident, on March 5. He was reportedly arrested after he was found near the scene.
Dig deeper:
The incident was not the first time a fire burned through a religious building in Casa Grande recently. In October 2024, St. Anthony of Padua church suffered significant damage when flames tore through part of the building.
What's next:
Justice Department officials say if convicted, Gregorio could face up to 20 years of prison, a fine of $250,000, or both.
The Source: Information for this article was gathered from a statement released by the U.S. Department of Justice, with supplemental information gathered from previous FOX 10 news reports, and from the Casa Grande Police Department.