Rhode Island man to plead guilty to setting fire to Black church

Kevin Colantonio, 35, of North Providence, R.I., was arrested a few days after the fire at Shiloh Gospel Temple. He is expected to admit to targeting the church because of its mostly Black membership.

PROVIDENCE, R. I. – A Rhode Island man has agreed to plead guilty to charges that he set fire to a North Providence church earlier this year, targeting it because of its mostly Black membership, according to court documents.

Kevin Colantonio of North Providence was arrested a few days after the early morning fire Feb. 11 at Shiloh Gospel Temple, a Pentecostal church.

He admitted to buying a Bic lighter and gasoline at a nearby Cumberland Farms shortly before midnight, pouring the gasoline around the outside of the church and igniting it, according to a plea agreement filed Friday in U.S. District Court, Providence.

Colantonio’s actions caused church services to be cancelled, according to court records, preventing its congregants from their free exercise of religion. He stipulated he chose the church because of actual or perceived color, race, religion, national origin or ethnicity of its members.

Surveillance video, information from witnesses and a bank card helped lead police to Colantonio. Investigators said they found racist writings in Colantonio’s apartment. Prosecutors read from one of them during Colantonio’s initial court appearance four days after the fire. It said: “Hunt them down. Gun everyone who isn’t white.”

Colantonio has also agreed to plead guilty to charges that he threw feces and urine at two prison guards who were delivering his breakfast on March 4 at the Donald W. Wyatt Detention Facility in Central Falls, court papers show.

Colantonio was charged with damage to a religious property, malicious damage by means of fire and two counts of assault of a federal officer. The first two counts carry a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The second count requires a minimum sentence of five years.

The arson unnerved the church community, which has about 100 members, and drew intense police scrutiny. Pastor Eric Perry said the fire could have been fatal if the church had been holding a service when it was set.