A Washington man has been sentenced to 11 years in prison followed by three years of supervised release for federal civil rights and firearms offences in connection with four attacks that damaged or destroyed several Jehovah’s Witness Kingdom Halls in western Washington.
Mikey Diamond Starrett, also known as Michael Jason Layes, 52, of Olympia, was also ordered to pay restitution in a total amount of $714,608.70, including $4,921.73 to the Kingdom Hall of Tumwater, $1,749.20 to the Kingdom Hall of Yelm; and $707,937.73 to the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, Inc.
Specifically, Starett was sentenced on four counts of violating the Church Arson Prevention Act — one count for each attack — as well as one count of using a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.
“The defendant in this case committed four attacks on Jehovah’s Witness Kingdom Halls, causing fear and anguish to its members,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division.
Clarke added, “The freedom to practice the religion we choose, without discrimination or violence, is a fundamental civil right in our nation and a hallmark of our democracy from its very inception. Violence based on religious prejudice has no place in our society. The Justice Department will continue to prosecute those who target and harm houses of worship.”
“Starrett’s attacks irrevocably destroyed the sense of safety and peace that a house of worship is supposed to provide and caused severe, permanent harm to the Jehovah’s Witness community in Washington,” said U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman for the Western District of Washington. “These were not crimes against buildings, but a series of attacks against a community and a faith.”
“ATF and our law enforcement partners spent many thousands if not tens of thousands, of hours investigating these attacks and ensuring that the right person was identified,” said Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Blais of the ATF Seattle Field Division.
Blais noted that Starrett’s guilty plea is a validation of the hard work put in by all the law enforcement involved in the investigation, and this sentence is appropriate for his egregious actions.
“We are all committed to defending the right of people to practice their religion and investigating when someone acts to deprive them of that right, in this case through acts of arson and use of a firearm during, and in relation to, a crime of violence,” added Blais.
According to court documents and statements made during the plea and sentencing hearings, Starrett intentionally set fire to the Kingdom Hall of Tumwater, Washington, on March 19, 2018; intentionally set fire to the Kingdom Hall of Olympia on March 19, 2018; intentionally used a firearm to shoot into the Kingdom Hall of Yelm, Washington, on May 15, 2018; and intentionally set fire to the Kingdom Hall of Olympia on July 3, 2018.
The defendant admitted he committed these attacks because of the religious character of the Kingdom Halls.
The attacks resulted in significant damage to each of the Kingdom Halls, including the destruction of the Olympia Kingdom Hall on July 3, 2018.
