Franklin Sechriest sentenced to 10 years in prison for 2021 Austin synagogue arson

A federal judge sentenced 20-year-old Franklin Sechriest to 10 years in prison Wednesday in connection with a 2021 fire at the Congregation Beth Israel synagogue in Central Austin.

Earlier this year, Sechriest had pleaded guilty to charges of arson and a hate crime causing damage to religious property.

Prosecutors asked for a 10-year sentence, citing what they called Sechriest's “deeply held” antisemitic and racist beliefs. They claimed that he had committed other racially motivated crimes and demonstrated a “capacity to lie and manipulate.”

Judge David Ezra said he would recommend that Sechriest be housed at a federal medical facility.

Sechriest, who was 18 at the time of the fire, was a member of the Texas State Guard and a student at Texas State University.

Federal investigators said that, on the night of Oct. 31, 2021, Sechriest set fire to the outside of the Congregation Beth Israel synagogue.

More: Austin's oldest Jewish congregation marks 2 years since hate-fueled arson

When searching Sechriest’s home, investigators found journals containing antisemitic and racist rhetoric. An entry dated Oct. 31 read, “I set a synagogue on fire.”

During Wednesday's sentencing hearing in the U.S. District Court in downtown Austin, Sechriest could be seen looking over at his parents and mouthing, “I’m sorry.”

Sechriest’s lawyer Daniel Wannamaker reiterated that his client had been diagnosed with autism and suffered from mental illness. He described Sechriest as an isolated teenager who was vulnerable to being “groomed” and “radicalized” by online hate groups.

Sechriest spoke briefly at the hearing, denouncing those beliefs and apologizing to “everyone involved.”

Members of the congregation gave statements during the sentencing hearing, describing the long-term impact of the arson on the greater Jewish community.

Jake Cohen, executive director of Congregation Beth Israel, told the court that the arson “struck at the heart” of the synagogue’s “communal identity” of being open and accessible to the public.

In interviews given prior to the sentencing hearing, other members of the congregation also expressed the sentiment that the arson had forced the synagogue to balance the safety of its members against being welcoming to outsiders.

Lori Adelman, who was synagogue president at the time of the attack, said the synagogue has taken considerable security measures in light of the arson and a national rise in antisemitic incidents.

Still, the congregation hopes to remain “deeply connected” to the city, Cohen told the American-Statesman prior to the hearing.

“No act of hate can make us change who we are,” Cohen said.

Kelly Levy, a rabbi at Beth Israel, said many members of the congregation had been struck by Sechriest’s age. She expressed hope that he could unlearn his beliefs.

She brought up the Jewish concept of “teshuvah,” which she described as a “return” to a childlike state of peace.

“The hatred that he has expressed is something that he learned along the way,” Levy said. “Our prayer is that he finds that teshuvah, that return back to that way of loving the world.”

Last month, Congregation Beth Israel marked two years since the arson and began plans for rebuilding the sanctuary.

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Man sentenced to 10 years in prison for 2021 Austin synagogue arson