Man arrested for setting fire to a church in Taylor County

PERRY, Fla. (WCJB) - The man suspected of setting fire to a church in Taylor County was arrested by state law enforcement officers after he was found watching the crime scene.

Florida Chief Financial Officer and State Fire Marshal Jimmy Patronis announced the arrest of Joshua Gipson on Monday for two counts of arson, two counts of Burglary, one count of Criminal Mischief, one count of Larceny, and Violation of Probation.

On Aug 4, the Perry Police Department reached out to state agencies for help investigating a series of suspicious fires at Crosspoint Baptist Church.

K9′s altered officers to the presence of ignitable liquids. Detectives determined the fires were set deliberately around the church.

The Florida Department of Corrections K9 team then conducted an open-air track of the property to an area which led them to a group of people watching the scene.

Among the onlookers was Gibson, who matched the description of the suspected arsonist. He was detained for questioning and confessed to crimes according to authorities.

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Joshua Gipson was booked in the Taylor County Jail. If convicted, he faces more than 50 years in prison.

“Arson is a malicious crime, but especially heinous when committed against a place of worship,” Patronis said. “A huge thanks and a job well done to the men and women of our Bureau of Fire, Arson, and Explosives for their diligence during the investigation and to the Perry Police Department for bringing the perpetrator to justice. As Florida’s State Fire Marshal, I have made it very clear that arson, and evil or hateful crimes of any kind, will not be tolerated in our state and will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”

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