Attorneys Expect Indictment in South Texas Mosque Fire
US attorneys revealed during a bond hearing in Corpus Christi shortly after his March 4 arrest that Marq Vincent Perez was a suspect to the Jan. 28 burglary and fire that destroyed the Victoria Islamic Center.
The lawyers described it as a hate crime and presented messages and witness testimony that described Perez as hating Muslims and suspecting Victoria Muslims were tied to terrorist organizations.
An FBI agent who testified also accused Perez, 25, of setting fire to a car belonging to a man Perez had a dispute with and breaking into and stealing a laptop from the mosque before the fire.
But the federal grand jury in Victoria on March 24 returned an indictment unrelated to the mosque fire or previous burglary. Perez remains only charged with possessing an unregistered destructive device, which stems from the Jan. 15 car fire. That charge carries a maximum prison sentence of 10 years. The trial is slated to begin May 1.
According to documents filed in the US Southern of District of Texas last week, a grand jury is mulling Perez’s involvement in the other crimes.
"The grand jury in Victoria is continuing its investigation of (Perez) and his involvement in all of the crimes described above, including the hate crime of burning the mosque in Victoria,” court documents state. "The United States anticipates that the grand jury may issue one or more superseding indictments related to these different events as that investigation proceeds.”
Prosecutors requested the case be heard in Victoria, instead of Corpus Christi. Though Perez’s first hearing was before a magistrate judge in Corpus Christi who covers both the Corpus Christi and Victoria divisions, the case was moved to Houston after Perez was indicted. Perez’s Corpus Christi lawyer, Mark Di Carlo, successfully argued against the move and requested the case be in either Corpus Christi or Victoria. A judge sent it back to Corpus Christi.
Now, Di Carlo is arguing it should stay in Corpus Christi. In a response filed Monday, Di Carlo accused the prosecutors of forum shopping and "acting in a highly irregular manner." Di Carlo also said Perez has received unfair media coverage in Victoria and accused prosecutors or law enforcement of tipping Victoria media to the case.
Nearly all the witnesses and evidence are in Victoria, prosecutors wrote in their request. Prosecutors also requested a judge order evidence turned over to the defense remain confidential before trial.
Perez, who has no criminal history, has previously disputed the accusations through his lawyer. Di Carlo has pointed out the witness who led authorities to Perez also admitted to being with him when the fire was set at the mosque. And a confidential informant federal authorities have referenced had access to Perez’s home, where data-x-items from the mosque were found, Di Carlo has said.
Perez is being held without bail in the DeWitt County Jail in Cuero.
More than $1 million in donations poured into the mosque's rebuilding efforts within days of the fire.
Source: The Caller Times
