Federal hate crime charges filed in black church fires

NEW ORLEANS — The U.S. Justice Department says hate crime charges have been filed against a Louisiana man in connection with three fires that destroyed African American churches earlier this year.

A news release from the department says 21-year-old Holden Matthews faces three counts of “intentional damage to religious property,” which are hate crime charges. He’s also charged with three counts of “using fire to commit a felony.”

The indictment says the fires were set “because of the religious character” of the properties.