c. 2007 Religion News Service

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. _ Three former Birmingham college students are headed for federal prison cells after a judge Monday (April 9) ordered them to serve sentences ranging from seven to eight years for a series of rural church fires last year.

U.S. District Judge David Proctor sentenced Matthew Cloyd, 21, and Benjamin Moseley, 20, to eight-year prison terms for setting fire to nine churches in West Alabama. Russell DeBusk, 20, who confessed to setting five fires, received a seven-year sentence.

In addition, the judge ordered combined restitution of $3.1 million, with Cloyd and Moseley bearing a greater share of responsibility for those payments than DeBusk.

Monday’s sentences came after an emotional hearing in which pastors from burned churches spoke of forgiveness, defense lawyers urged leniency and the judge quoted Scriptures assuring the trio that good can come from bad.

“You harmed a lot of people, but with God’s grace you have … opportunity to do good still,” Proctor said.

The first series of fires on Feb. 3, 2006, in which all three participated, damaged two churches and destroyed three. Cloyd and Moseley set a second batch four days later to distract investigators; those fires destroyed four churches.

DeBusk offered an explanation for the fires that brought shock and fear to the West Alabama communities and more than 100 law enforcement officers on a round-the-clock mission to solve the mysterious crimes: He said the three decided to break into a church and set fire to plastic flowers after not having much luck spotlighting deer. He said the fires fed off each other, and a “snowball effect” happened as they set out to set more fires.

DeBusk said the magnitude hit him after he sobered up the next day and became physically ill.

One by one, the three young men, wearing orange jail jumpsuits and leg irons, stood next to their attorneys at a lectern before Proctor. They apologized and expressed regret for the harm and destruction caused during a night of drinking.

“I’m ready to accept the consequences of my actions and move forward, your honor,” Cloyd said.

Moseley said he knew he did wrong and was aware there would be repercussions. “I sincerely apologize for what I’ve done,” he said.

They faced a minimum of seven years in prison because two firefighters were injured battling a fire at Ashby Baptist Church.

The 10 rows of seats in Birmingham’s largest courtroom were filled with relatives of the three and members of the burned churches.

The Rev. Walter Hawkins of Dansby Baptist Church was among the pastors urging justice tempered with mercy.

“We love them,” Hawkins said. “The Bible teaches us about forgiveness. If we don’t forgive, our heavenly father will not forgive us for our trespasses.”

Cloyd’s attorney, Tommy Spina, asked that the judge provide restoration, not retribution. He said contrary to the public’s misconception, the young men would likely serve time in a medium-security prison, not a prison boot camp.

“It is not easy time in the federal prison system,” he said.

Prosecutors stood by the government’s recommendation that Moseley and Cloyd serve eight years based on plea agreements and said the two chose to set more fires that were not linked to a thrill or alcohol. They urged the judge to sentence DeBusk to seven years.

Proctor also ordered the three to undergo drinking and substance counseling while serving their time, and to perform 300 hours of community service work at the churches once they are released.

Proctor said it was hard to understand why such promising students would burn houses of worship that mean so much to parishioners. He praised the congregations for their acts of reconciliation and urged the young men’s parents not to feel responsible for their actions.

“This isn’t your fault. By all indications, you raised these boys well and they knew better,” Proctor said.

(Val Walton writes for The Birmingham News in Birmingham, Ala.)

KRE/LF END WALTON