THREE MEN PLEAD GUILTY IN ARSON OF NINE ALABAMA CHURCHES

BIRMINGHAM, AL - MATTHEW LEE CLOYD, BENJAMIN NATHAN MOSELEY, and RUSSELL LEE DEBUSK, JR., plead guilty today to the offenses of conspiracy and arson in connection with a string of church arsons that spanned from February 3 through February 7, 2006. The men have remained in U.S. Marshal custody since their arrest on March 8, 2006, after a criminal complaint was filed in U.S. District Court. CLOYD, MOSELEY and DEBUSK were indicted in U.S. District Court on March 29, 2006.

"These senseless crimes have resulted in incalculable losses," stated U.S. Attorney Alice H. Martin. "The devastation of nine church homes as well as the devastation of these young men's families. Think before you act is the lesson others should heed - some actions have dire consequences. It is a sad day," adds U.S. Attorney Martin.

CLOYD, 21, of Pelham, and MOSELEY, 20, of Birmingham, plead guilty to the ten count indictment which charges in Count 1, that all the defendants conspired to damage and destroy by fire, nine churches in Bibb, Pickens, Greene, and Sumter Counties. This conspiracy count also alleges that persons were injured as a direct and proximate result of the charged offense. Counts 2-6 charge all the defendants with damaging and destroying by fire five churches located in Bibb County. Counts 7-10 charge CLOYD and MOSELEY with damaging and destroying by fire four churches located in West Alabama. The affected churches and dates of the fires are listed:

2/3/06 Rehobeth Baptist, Bibb County
2/3/06 Ashby Baptist, Bibb County
2/3/06 Old Union Baptist, Bibb County
2/3/06 Pleasant Sabine Baptist, Bibb County
2/3/06 Antioch Baptist, Bibb County
2/7/06 Dancy Baptist Church, Pickens County
2/7/06 Morning Star Missionary Baptist, Greene County
2/7/06 Spring Valley Baptist, Sumter County
2/7/06 Galilee Baptist Church, Sumter County

DEBUSK, 20, of Hoover, plead guilty without a written plea agreement to counts 1 - 6 of the indictment.

The written plea agreements contain waivers of the right to appeal and post-conviction relief. The factual basis contained in the plea agreements for CLOYD and MOSELEY states that during the evening hours of February 2, 2006, CLOYD, MOSELEY, and DeBUSK, traveled from Jefferson County, Alabama, to Bibb County, Alabama, in CLOYD's dark green Toyota 4Runner to spotlight deer while drinking beer. After a period of time the three drove to Rehobeth Baptist Church and broke into the church where artificial flowers were set on fire. The three fled the scene and continued to other churches in the area where they broke into those churches and set fires as well.

In the days following the church fires the three men followed the local news reports regarding the investigation into the first series of fires. CLOYD and MOSELEY became concerned that the investigators were getting close to discovering their actions so they made a plan to divert the investigation further away from Birmingham into West Alabama. On the night of February 6, 2006, CLOYD and MOSELEY drove to Galilee Baptist Church located in Sumter County, Alabama, and broke into the church and started a fire there. They repeated this act at three more churches in the West Alabama area and returned to Birmingham.

Agents, in the meanwhile, where gathering evidence from the fire scenes and were able to trace tire tracks to CLOYD's Toyota 4Runner. On March 8, 2006, CLOYD was arrested near his Birmingham apartment. Agents also arrested MOSELEY and DeBUSK on March 8, 2006.

"Today's guilty pleas bring this case full circle; the young defendants admitted to their actions," stated James Cavanaugh, Special Agent in Charge, Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. "Although good police work has prevailed, the victimized church communities continue to heal."

"These guilty pleas represent the tireless efforts of many law enforcement agencies to bring this matter to justice," stated Carmen S. Adams, Special Agent in Charge, Birmingham Field Division, Federal Bureau of Investigation. "The destruction of a house of worship is something the FBI and our local, state and federal partners take very seriously. We appreciate the efforts of everyone involved."

The minimum mandatory sentence faced by each of the three men is not less than seven years and not more than forty years and a fine of not more than $250,000 or both, for each count. In addition, each must serve a term of supervised release following their prison terms of not more than five years. Under the advisory federal sentencing guidelines, the sentences for Counts 1-10 can run concurrently. The sentencing hearing will be set and punishment will be determined by the Court at a later date.

Assistant United States Attorneys Herbert H. Henry and Michael W. Whisonant are prosecuting this case on behalf of the U.S. Government. Special Agents of ATF and FBI along with numerous local law enforcement investigated this case.