Richard Froese
South Peace News
A High Prairie man who admitted to setting fire to an historic Catholic church building in Grouard in May 2023 will be sentenced in mid-June.
Gerald Kenneth Capot, 51, is scheduled to be sentenced June 12 in the Court of King’s Bench in Peace River for arson to property of others.
The date was set on Feb. 24.
Capot pleaded guilty to the charge when he appeared at a trial that started May 21, 2024.
Capot and Kenneth Randy Ferguson were both charged in connection with a fire that heavily damaged the St. Bernard Mission Church on May 22, 2023.
Ferguson was sentenced to 90 days for break-and-enter after pleading guilty on May 21, Court Checks indicates. He was 56 at the time he was charged shortly after incident.
Ferguson was given credit for time served and released.
A charge of arson to property of others was withdrawn on May 21.
Ferguson was placed on probation for 12 months. During probation, he has been ordered to engage with the priest at St. Bernard Church either by writing a letter or engaging a dialogue to express remorse for the incident. In-person dialogue must have prior consent from the priest.
Ferguson is also required to take assessment, counselling or treatment as recommended by his probation officer. He must also keep the peace, be of good behaviour, and appear before the court when required to do so.
An RCMP news release says police responded to a report of a fire at the 121-year-old building around 3:30 p.m.
“Preliminary investigation indicates it is suspicious in nature,” says Const. Julie-Ann Strilaiff, Media Relations Officer, Peace Regional RCMP.