According to The New York Times, 23-year old Holden James Matthews was sentenced and also ordered to pay nearly $2.7 million to the churches after pleading guilty in federal court in February to three counts of violating the Church Arson Prevention Act and to one count of using fire to commit a felony for his 10-day reign of terror back in April 2019 that resulted in the destruction of St. Mary Missionary Baptist Church in Port Barre, and Greater Union Baptist Church and Mount Pleasant Baptist Church, both in Opelousas.
