Police in Salem, Oregon, have announced that a fire that ripped through a Catholic church on August 31 was deliberately set, and an arson suspect has been arrested.
St. Joseph’s church, one of the oldest in Salem, was “pretty much a loss” after the fire, reported the pastor, Father Jeff Meeuswen.
Billy James Sweeten, whose criminal record includes a previous charge of arson, is being held on felony charges.