On August 31, 2026, 19-year-old Anthony Dillon, Jr pled guilty in federal court to committing arson in connection with the malicious burning of St. John Chapel in the early morning of March 27, 2026. Dillon faces a mandatory minimum of five years and up to 20 years in federal prison.
According to court documents, Dillon and an accomplice entered St. John Chapel with the intent to steal electronic equipment, including multiple television sets. After stealing several televisions from the church, the two ignited a fire in the administrative area of the building, using a fire accelerant within a wooden filing cabinet. A fire-accelerant canine unit alerted at the point of origin, and forensic testing confirmed the presence of an accelerant. The fire caused a great deal of damage to the church’s sanctuary.
The community of Caldwell Parish continues to worship by holding weekly masses at a local clinic and has established a restoration fund to help rebuild their church.
“Today’s guilty plea represents another step toward our Office seeking justice for the wanton and brazen burning of St. John Chapel, the sole Catholic church in Caldwell Parish,” said U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Keller. “This case reflects our Office’s commitment to working alongside our federal and state law enforcement partners to protect and serve our rural communities, and we look forward to seeing this matter to its conclusion."
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Louisiana State Fire Marshal, the Caldwell Parish Sheriff’s Office, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated this case. It is being prosecuted by United States Attorney Zachary A. Keller with assistance from Special Assistant U.S. Attorney S. Charlotte Farshian and Paralegal Specialist Joanne Henry-Mills.
