A 19-year-old Mississippi man is facing federal arson charges after allegedly setting fire to the state’s largest synagogue early Saturday morning in what authorities describe as a bias-motivated attack on religious property.
Stephen Spencer Pittman of Madison County appeared virtually from a hospital bed during his first federal court appearance Monday, January 12, where he was being treated for burns sustained during the alleged crime. He has not yet entered a plea.
The Attack
According to the criminal complaint filed by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Pittman is charged with arson under 18 U.S.C. § 844(i) for the fire that severely damaged Beth Israel Congregation in Jackson, Mississippi, the capital city’s only synagogue. The fire broke out in the early morning hours of January 10, 2026, causing extensive damage to the building and rendering it inoperable for an indefinite period.
The complaint alleges that Pittman confessed to multiple law enforcement agencies – including the FBI, Jackson Fire Department, and Hinds County Sheriff’s Office – that he deliberately set the fire due to the building’s “Jewish ties.” During his interview with authorities, Pittman allegedly referred to the synagogue as the “synagogue of Satan.”
Suspect’s Father Key to Arrest
The investigation rapidly focused on Pittman after his father contacted the FBI hours after the fire to report that his son had confessed to the crime. The father’s account was corroborated by Life360* GPS tracking data from Pittman’s cell phone, text messages, and visible burns on the suspect’s body.
According to the complaint, Life360 map data showed Pittman traveled from his Madison County residence to Mac’s Gas station in Ridgeland, Mississippi, where he allegedly purchased gasoline, before proceeding to the Beth Israel building. During the commission of the crime, Pittman sent his father a series of disturbing text messages, including a photo of the synagogue’s rear entrance with messages reading: “There’s a furnace in the back,” “Btw my plate is off,” “Hoodie is on,” and “they have the best cameras.”
When his father pleaded for him to return home, Pittman allegedly responded that he was “due for a homerun” and had done his “research.”
Surveillance footage from the building’s CCTV system captured a hooded individual inside the synagogue pouring contents from what appeared to be a gas container. Investigators say Pittman used an axe to break a window, entered the building, poured gasoline inside, and ignited the fire with a torch lighter.
The FBI recovered a burned cell phone believed to belong to Pittman from the scene, along with a hand torch found by a member of the congregation. Pittman told investigators he believed he left the torch lighter at the scene and that he caught himself on fire during the act.
When confronted by his father later that day about the burns visible on his ankles, hands, and face, Pittman allegedly “laughed as he told his father what he did and said he finally got them,” according to the complaint.
Extensive Damage to Building and Sacred Texts
Jackson Fire Department Chief of Fire Investigations Charles Felton reported that flames and smoke caused extensive damage throughout the building, with the library – where the fire was started – suffering complete destruction.
“All contents in that library are destroyed. There’s not much that can be retrieved from the library area,” Felton said.
The fire destroyed two Torah scrolls and damaged five others, though a Holocaust-surviving Torah protected by a glass display case remained intact. The synagogue’s Tree of Life plaque, which honored congregants’ meaningful occasions, was destroyed. The library, administrative offices, and lobby sustained the most severe damage, while other portions of the building suffered smoke and soot damage.
Beth Israel Congregation, founded in 1860, has faced antisemitic violence before. In 1967, Ku Klux Klan members bombed the synagogue and the home of its rabbi, who had spoken out against racism and segregation during the civil rights era. No one was injured in either the 1967 bombings or Saturday’s fire.
Official Response
Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves condemned the attack in a statement Monday: “Mississippi stands with the members of Beth Israel Congregation. This heinous act will never be tolerated, and the perpetrator should face the full and solemn weight of their actions.”
Jackson Mayor John Horhn issued a strong statement of solidarity: “Acts of antisemitism, racism, and religious hatred are attacks on Jackson as a whole and will be treated as acts of terror against residents’ safety and freedom to worship.”
“We echo the Mayor’s words and are proud of the swift, disciplined response by our Jackson Fire Department Firefighters, Arson Division, Jackson Police Department, Capitol Police Department, Federal Bureau of Investigations, and the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms & Explosives during this violent crime of Arson against our community,” said Jackson Fire Department Fire Chief RaSean Thomas. “We stand with this community and affirm that hate has no home here. Jackson is stronger when we stand together.”
Representative Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS) called on federal authorities to pursue hate crime charges. “I encourage the FBI to investigate this incident as a federal hate crime,” Thompson stated. “This community rejects violence, and the individual responsible should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
Legal Framework and Potential for Additional Charges
While Pittman currently faces federal arson charges under 18 U.S.C. § 844(i) – arson of property used in interstate commerce – authorities may pursue additional charges. Federal law 18 U.S.C. § 247 specifically addresses damage to religious property motivated by bias. Mississippi also has a state hate crime law (HB 427) that allows for enhanced penalties, including up to double prison time and fines, for crimes motivated by bias based on religion, race, color, ancestry, ethnicity, or national origin.
The federal arson charge stems from the fact that the building houses both Beth Israel Congregation and the Goldring/Woldenberg Institute of Southern Jewish Life (ISJL), which operates in interstate and foreign commerce. The ISJL provides comprehensive religious school programs to 70 Jewish congregations and traveling rabbinical services across 13 states, including Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Virginia.
The investigation remains ongoing as federal authorities continue to build their case against Pittman.
(*Life360 is a safety mobile application offering a range of services, including location sharing, safe driver reports, and crash detection with emergency dispatch.)