A man has been imprisoned for burning an LGBTQ flag that was flying at a church in central Iowa.
Adolfo Martinez, 30, of Ames, was sentenced Wednesday to 15 years for the hate crime of arson.
He was also given a year for reckless use of explosives or fire and 30 days for harassment. The sentences are to be served consecutively, Story County court records said.
He was found guilty of a hate crime, which is a class D felony, third-degree harassment, and reckless use of fire last month.
Police allege he stole the flag that hung at Ames United Church of Christ at 217 6th St. It was found burning on June 11 outside Dangerous Curves Gentleman’s Club, 111 5th St, Des Moines Register reported.
Martinez told police he had ripped the flag down and had set it ablaze with lighter fluid because he is against homosexuality.
Martinzez gave an incoherent interview to KCCI Des Moines in November in which he claimed he was guilty of the charges.
He declined to give his side of the story and said: ‘It is my honor, it is written, it is a judgement and it is written to execute vengeance on the heathen and punishments upon the people.
‘It is my honor to do so, and it is an honor to that. It is a blessing from the Lord, plain and simple.
outrageous sentence
illegals murder here and get set free
The guys peace was disturbed so he burnt the disturbance. Don’t blame him, after all, he and the rest of us ain’t getting no remedy at this point, but the one we implement ourselves.
Surely Trump will pardon this guy or maybe Dershowitz will defend him.
Keep your unnatural longings, which your flag represents, within your castle because those of us that still know up from down, don’t want to look at that shite!
Funny how you can burn all the American flags that you want to, and it’s called “freedom of expression”, but if you burn that gay flag you’re doing hard time.