Judge Imprisons 2 for Life in Texas Church Arsons

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A judge has sentenced two men to life in prison after they pleaded guilty in a series of fires at churches in Smith County in East Texas last year. Judge Christi Kennedy ordered the prison terms for 20-year-old Jason Robert Bourque and 22-year-old Daniel George McAllister on Jan. 10, 2011.

In December 2010, Bourque pleaded guilty to five counts of arson and three counts of attempted arson.

McAllister entered guilty pleas to two counts of arson and two counts of attempted arson.

Bourque also was sentenced to 20 years for attempted arson, to be served consecutive to the life prison term. McAllister received 20 years for attempted arson, to be served concurrently.

The rash of church fires, 10 in all, began with a blaze at a church in Athens and another on New Year’s Day 2010 not far away. A fire in Temple followed, but the federal investigation did not kick in until two churches were torched Jan. 11, 2010, in Athens. Less than a week later, four fires in five days were reported. Nobody was hurt in the blazes.

Bourque and McAllister were arrested last February. They also face charges in Henderson and Van Zandt counties.