Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison After Burning Pride Flag

By Associated Press. A man has been imprisoned for burning an LGBTQ flag that was flying at a church in central Iowa.

Adolfo Martinez, 30, of Ames, was sentenced Wednesday to 15 years for the hate crime of arson and given a year for reckless use of explosives or fire and 30 days for harassment. The sentences are to be served consecutively, Story County court records said.

A jury convicted Martinez in November. He’d been arrested in June. At the time of his November conviction, KCCI reported that the “habitual offender” charge filed against Martinez called for a lengthier penalty. Hate crime charges also carry enhanced penalties. (Read more from “Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison After Burning Pride Flag” HERE)

__________________________________

Man Says Burning Gay Flag was a ‘Blessing from the Lord’

By Chris Gothner. [Martinez] did make his motive clear when KCCI went to his house to ask him about the charges Wednesday.

“It’s my honor. It is written. It is a judgment and it’s written to execute vengeance on the heathen and punishments on the people,” Martinez said. “It’s my honor to do so. It was an honor to do that. It’s a blessing from the Lord.”

“So this was about homosexuality?” KCCI reporter Chris Gothner asked.

“Yes, yes, yes. Exactly,” Martinez replied. “I burned down their pride, plain and simple.”

Martinez said he had no regrets whatsoever and has no plans to fight the charges.

“No, I’m guilty as charged,” he said. (Read more about the gay pride flag burning case HERE)

Follow Joe Miller on Twitter HERE and Facebook HERE