Stefan Day Rowold, a 37-year-old resident of Wiggins, Mississippi, has been sentenced to 360 months in federal prison for setting fire to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in his hometown. The sentencing took place on February 3, 2025, following Rowold’s conviction on six counts related to federal arson and civil rights violations.
During the trial held in September 2025 in the Southern District of Mississippi, evidence showed that Rowold targeted the church due to his hostility toward its religious beliefs. On July 5 and July 7, 2024, he broke into the building on two separate occasions. According to his confession, Rowold vandalized interior walls with hateful messages and used hymnals, paintings, and other religious items as fuel to start a fire in the church’s multipurpose room. After learning that his initial attempt did not destroy the building, he returned two days later—despite police efforts to secure the scene—and set another fire against an interior wall.
The fires caused significant damage to the church property. As a result, members were unable to hold services there for several months. The court determined that damages totaled $176,564.97 and ordered restitution in that amount.
Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division joined U.S. Attorney J.E. Baxter Kruger for the Southern District of Mississippi and Special Agent in Charge Robert A. Eikhoff of the FBI Jackson Field Office in announcing the sentence.
U.S. Attorney Kruger stated: “This was a deliberate, hate-fueled attack on a place of worship meant to intimidate an entire community. Attacks like this will be met with the full force of federal law. Today’s sentence demonstrates our commitment to protecting the right to worship in safety and without fear.”
The investigation was led by the FBI Jackson Field Office with support from several agencies including the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms; Mississippi Bureau of Investigation; Mississippi State Fire Marshal; and Wiggins Police Department.
