Overview
- On Nov. 18, a federal grand jury in Phoenix indicted Everardo Gregorio, 31, for Obstruction of the Free Exercise of Religious Beliefs by Fire.
- The charge stems from a March 3 blaze at Khal Chasidim that destroyed the worship space along with a kosher grocery and restaurant, with no injuries reported.
- Investigators from the FBI, ATF, and Casa Grande Police Department are handling the case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Ben Goldberg is prosecuting with the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division.
- Court filings and police reports describe surveillance video placing a man believed to be Gregorio at the site and note his March 5 detention near the center, which he denied involved him.
- If convicted on the federal count, Gregorio faces up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, and he remains presumed innocent.