Charges dropped against teen in LDS church fire
Gabriel Pelayo had maintained his innocence since his arrest in September.
The Rose Ward House, seven miles north of Blackfoot, had recently been renovated when it was set on fire early Feb. 27. Its glass doors were smashed, and the lobby furnishings were piled in a corner, doused with a flammable liquid and set on fire, causing about $225,000 in damage.
Pelayo was arrested after children who belong to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints said he had made comments during a math class at Blackfoot High School that indicated he may have had something to do with the blaze.
Seventh District Magistrate Judge Charles Roos said there was no evidence placing Pelayo at the scene of the fire or linking him to setting the building alight.
"It's so far-fetched, I can't go there," Roos said, before dropping the charges. "I can't even find probable cause."
Pelayo refused to speak with reporters after the hearing, but his father, Efrain Pelayo, said his son convinced him he had nothing to do with the fire.
"He told them (authorities) from the first day he didn't do it," Efrain Pelayo said.
According to court testimony, Pelayo drew attention to himself last winter when he and a group of teens allegedly attempted to convert LDS classmates to Catholicism, calling the latter religion "superior."
Then this fall, he was reported by classmates when he allegedly made statements while in a class at Blackfoot High about the fire and his anti-LDS views.
Scott Axline, Pelayo's lawyer, said his client regrets having made the statements about the fire, which some students told Roos they thought had been made in jest.
Comments
- Dispose of old TVs 10:16 a.m.
- Man killed in motorcycle crash 10:16 a.m.
- Man pleads guilty in fatal crash 10:02 a.m.
- 16 killed in Somalia 9:23 a.m.
- Mass funeral for massacre victims 9:22 a.m.
- Obama: 'Africa not separate' 9:20 a.m.
- Former cop seeks parole 9:17 a.m.
- 5 hurt in latest Pamplona bull run 8:49 a.m.
- Delay in Jackson guardianship case 8:47 a.m.
- Attempted murder case refiled 1:58 a.m.
- Jazz brass debate Millsap match
- LDS seminary principal arrested
- 2 men cited on LDS plaza
- Jazz finances not quite so bleak
- HBO defends U. logo use in 'Love'
- Reactions on Boozer speculation
- Cash for Clunkers to get rolling soon
- Utahns among Texans' investors
- Man spots his stolen car
- Jazz rookies quiet Thunder youngsters
- LDS seminary principal arrested
203 - Bronco collecting a galaxy of recruits
141 - Jazz talking Boozer trade?
137 - Jazz brass debate Millsap match
133 - Blazers may offer Millsap a contract
123 - Stadium of Fire flag burning was fake
95 - 2 men cited on LDS plaza
88 - Fairness of BCS debated
81 - Chaffetz eyes challenging Bennett
76 - Letters: Single-payer system best
75
As more and more dads are put out of work in this economy, I've been...
The photographs are mysterious, brooding, dark. They show dimples and...
To See Ya:First your not packing the moving van! Your plagerizing Sean Penn's...
Is this some sort of new GOP talking point? It meets the criteria: A) no...
IN 2003 the Jazz drafted a point guard Named Mo Willaims he was a heck of a...
From reading the blog, posted from the gay couples own words, it is apperant...
to the 2:35 commentator, Who are you calling a pedophile? While I do...
I think it's wrong to judge someone of sinful acts, when, in actuality, none...
Is there any evidence other than text messages? Did he left his phone on his...
What planet are you from, just because someone does someting wrong doesn't...
These people were obviously trying to cause a stir. It is all part of the...
For one, u have no room to talk smack. That JV team has beat the u in every...


You can be the first to comment on this story.