Retarded Church Arsonist Is Given 15-Day Sentence
A mentally retarded man convicted earlier of setting fire to a Methodist church in San Marcos was given a 15-day jail sentence Friday for violating his probation.
Donald Lee Jackson, 31, of San Diego was taken into custody immediately after San Diego Superior Court Judge Norbert Ehrenfreund ruled that he was in violation of the terms of probation given him Oct. 11.
Two ministers testified Friday that they saw Jackson outside their churches begging for money. When Jackson was sentenced last year, he was ordered to stay away from churches unless he was there for worship.
“I’m placing you in custody now because you have to be impressed,” Ehrenfreund told Jackson Friday.
Jackson already has served 154 days in jail for his misdemeanor conviction for recklessly causing a fire in a May 7 fire at the United Methodist Church in San Marcos, which sustained $175,000 in damages.
Jackson was charged earlier in the torching of a Methodist church in Vista, also on May 7, which resulted in $80,000 damages, and in arson fires at three other churches. Those counts were dismissed in exchange for his guilty plea in the San Marcos fire.
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
