Current:Home > reviewsFranklin Sechriest, Texas man who set fire to an Austin synagogue, sentenced to 10 years -CapitalSource
Franklin Sechriest, Texas man who set fire to an Austin synagogue, sentenced to 10 years
View
Date:2025-04-14 03:52:43
AUSTIN, Texas — A 20-year-old Texas man was sentenced to 10 years in prison Wednesday for setting fire to an Austin synagogue in 2021.
Earlier this year, Franklin Sechriest pleaded guilty to charges of arson and a hate crime causing damage to religious property after the Congregation Beth Israel synagogue in Central Austin was set on fire on Halloween in 2021. Prosecutors asked for a 10-year sentence, citing what they called Sechriest's “deeply held” antisemitic and racist beliefs.
Prosecutors said he had committed other racially motivated crimes and demonstrated a "capacity to lie and manipulate." A judge said he would recommend that Sechriest be housed at a federal medical facility.
Sechriest, who was 18 at the time of the fire, was a member of the Texas State Guard and a student at Texas State University.
During Wednesday's sentencing hearing in the U.S. District Court in downtown Austin, Sechriest could be seen looking over at his parents and mouthing, "I’m sorry."
Sechriest’s lawyer Daniel Wannamaker said his client had been diagnosed with autism and suffered from mental illness. He described Sechriest as an isolated teenager who was vulnerable to being "groomed" and "radicalized" by online hate groups.
Sechriest spoke briefly at the hearing, denouncing those beliefs and apologizing to "everyone involved."
Members of the congregation on Wednesday gave statements during the sentencing hearing, describing the long-term impact of the arson on the greater Jewish community. Jake Cohen, executive director of Congregation Beth Israel, told the court that the arson "struck at the heart" of the synagogue’s "communal identity."
'People are scared':With more than 800 antisemitic acts since Oct. 7, Jewish student groups plead for Biden's help
Journals with antisemitic and racist rhetoric found at man's home
Federal investigators said Sechriest set fire to the outside of the Congregation Beth Israel synagogue on Oct. 31, 2021.
When searching Sechriest’s home, investigators found journals containing antisemitic and racist rhetoric. An entry dated Oct. 31 read: “I set a synagogue on fire.”
Lori Adelman, who was synagogue president at the time of the attack, said they took considerable security measures in light of the arson and a national rise in antisemitic incidents. Members of the congregation said the arson forced the synagogue to balance the safety of its members against being welcoming to outsiders.
Still, the congregation hopes to remain “deeply connected” to the city, Cohen told the American-Statesman, part of the USA TODAY Network, prior to the hearing.
“No act of hate can make us change who we are,” Cohen said.
Kelly Levy, a rabbi at Beth Israel, said many members of the congregation were struck by Sechriest’s age. She expressed hope that he could unlearn his beliefs.
“The hatred that he has expressed is something that he learned along the way,” Levy said. “Our prayer is that he finds that teshuvah, that return back to that way of loving the world.” She said “teshuvah” is a Jewish concept which she described as a “return” to a childlike state of peace.
Last month, Congregation Beth Israel marked two years since the arson and began plans for rebuilding the sanctuary.
veryGood! (42456)
Related
- Appeals court scraps Nasdaq boardroom diversity rules in latest DEI setback
- Republicans Eye the SEC’s Climate-Related Disclosure Regulations, Should They Take Control of Congress
- Shop These American-Made Brands This 4th of July Weekend from KitchenAid to Glossier
- Trisha Paytas Responds to Colleen Ballinger Allegedly Sharing Her NSFW Photos With Fans
- Rams vs. 49ers highlights: LA wins rainy defensive struggle in key divisional game
- Anthropologie 4th of July Deals: Here’s How To Save 85% On Clothes, Home Decor, and More
- Lululemon’s Olympic Challenge to Reduce Its Emissions
- Inside Clean Energy: Here’s a Cool New EV, but You Can’t Have It
- McKinsey to pay $650 million after advising opioid maker on how to 'turbocharge' sales
- Target removes some Pride Month products after threats against employees
Ranking
- EU countries double down on a halt to Syrian asylum claims but will not yet send people back
- NATO Moves to Tackle Military Greenhouse Gas Emissions Even While Girding Against Russia
- Anthropologie 4th of July Deals: Here’s How To Save 85% On Clothes, Home Decor, and More
- Strip Mining Worsened the Severity of Deadly Kentucky Floods, Say Former Mining Regulators. They Are Calling for an Investigation
- Why we love Bear Pond Books, a ski town bookstore with a French bulldog 'Staff Pup'
- Texas Activists Sit-In at DOT in Washington Over Offshore Oil Export Plans
- Inside Clean Energy: As Efficiency Rises, Solar Power Needs Fewer Acres to Pack the Same Punch
- China Ramps Up Coal Power to Boost Post-Lockdown Growth
Recommendation
Head of the Federal Aviation Administration to resign, allowing Trump to pick his successor
Robert De Niro's Daughter Says Her Son Leandro Died After Taking Fentanyl-Laced Pills
Pretty Little Liars' Lindsey Shaw Details Getting Fired Amid Battle With Drugs and Weight
Gen Z workers are exhausted — and seeking solutions
'We're reborn!' Gazans express joy at returning home to north
Celebrity Esthetician Kate Somerville Is Here To Improve Your Skin With 3 Simple Hacks
If you haven't logged into your Google account in over 2 years, it will be deleted
What has been driving inflation? Economists' thinking may have changed