The Dallas Morning News 1994.09.01 http://www.dallasnews.com Man gets probation for burning church Defendant cites revenge in Richardson burglary, arson By Steve Scott Staff Writer of The Dallas Morning News Published September 1, 1994 A Dallas man was sentenced to 10 years of probation Richardson church from which he had been banned. John Nunez, 32, pleaded guilty to second-degree felony charges of arson and burglary in the July 4 break-in and fire at the St. Francis of Assisi Anglican church. State District Judge Faith Johnson ordered Mr. Nunez to serve 90 days in jail as a condition of probation. She also ordered him to stay away from the church and its members. No one was injured in the blaze, which prosecutors said did more than $200,000 damage to the church. Large, bearded and soft-spoken, Mr. Nunez deferentially addressed Judge Johnson as "my lady" throughout his brief testimony. He told the judge that he set fire to the church on Arapaho Road because a church official had shared personal information about him with church members. "I wanted him to hurt just as bad as I did," Mr. Nunez said. Church officials have said previously that they barred Mr. Nunez in May after he had posed as a priest. Mr. Nunez maintained during brief testimony Wednesday afternoon that he is a priest, ordained by an independent church based in California. He also told prosecutors that a letter excommunicating him from the Anglican church was not valid. Mr. Nunez's attorney, Kevin Brooks, urged Judge Johnson to consider regular probation without added jail time. He said that officials with Mr. Nunez's church had made arrangements for him to live and work at an abbey in San Antonio. Assistant District Attorney Rick Jackson said church officials agreed to the probated sentence but insisted that the arsonist serve some jail time. "The people of this church are scared of this guy," Mr. Jackson said. "They're afraid he's going to come back and try to hurt them individually." ©2002 Belo Interactive