Stefan Day Rowold, a 37-year-old resident of Wiggins, Mississippi, has been sentenced to 360 months in federal prison after being found guilty on six counts related to arson and civil rights violations. The sentencing took place on February 3, 2025, following his conviction by a jury in the Southern District of Mississippi in September 2025.
Court records indicate that Rowold targeted The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in Wiggins on two separate occasions: July 5 and July 7, 2024. Evidence presented during the trial revealed that Rowold broke into the church building, vandalized its interior with hateful messages, and set fire to the multipurpose room using hymnals, paintings, and other religious items as fuel. After learning that his initial attempt did not destroy the building, he returned two days later to set another fire inside the church.
Rowold admitted to police that his actions were motivated by hostility toward what he believed were the church’s religious views. As a result of these attacks, members of the congregation were unable to use their building for worship services for several months. The court determined that damages from the fires totaled $176,564.97 and ordered restitution in this amount.
U.S. Attorney J.E. Baxter Kruger commented on the case: “This was a deliberate, hate-fueled attack on a place of worship meant to intimidate an entire community. Attacks like this will be met with the full force of federal law. Today’s sentence demonstrates our commitment to protecting the right to worship in safety and without fear.”
The investigation was led by the FBI Jackson Field Office with support from several agencies including the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms; Mississippi Bureau of Investigation; Mississippi State Fire Marshal; and Wiggins Police Department.
