Arson Charges Filed Against Teen In Church Fire
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
Arson charges were filed Tuesday against the suspect in the Leesburg Grace Brethren Church fire.
Timothy Grevenstuk, 17, of Leesburg, was charged with arson and burglary, two Class A felonies; Class C felony burglary; and theft and attempted theft, both Class D felonies.
According to Kosciusko County Prosecutor David Kolbe, the charges were filed in Kosciusko Superior Court I, Juvenile Division, as a result of an investigation by the Kosciusko County Sheriff's Department, agents from Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
The fire that occurred in the early morning hours of July 22 destroyed the newer part of the church and gutted the historic half. No one was injured in the blaze, and police at the time said they believed it was started in the basement sometime around midnight.
Grevenstuk was originally taken into custody and charged with obstruction of justice, for refusing to speak to investigators, and with intimidation, for reportedly threatening a witness.
Grevenstuk is the son of Sheila and Michael Grevenstuk, who were convicted of arson and sentenced to prison last summer for burning their Milford home to collect insurance money.
Sheila served six weeks of a four-year sentence, and Michael's sentence was suspended because of poor health.
Kolbe asked the court to immediately detain Grevenstuk, but Superior Court Judge Duane Huffer declined.
"We vigorously requested that he be detained, and Judge Huffer declined to detain him because he already had been released on a bond," Kolbe said.
Grevenstuk faces maximum sentences of 50 years on the Class A felonies, eight years on the Class C felonies, and three years on the Class D felonies.
No court date has been set. [[In-content Ad]]
Arson charges were filed Tuesday against the suspect in the Leesburg Grace Brethren Church fire.
Timothy Grevenstuk, 17, of Leesburg, was charged with arson and burglary, two Class A felonies; Class C felony burglary; and theft and attempted theft, both Class D felonies.
According to Kosciusko County Prosecutor David Kolbe, the charges were filed in Kosciusko Superior Court I, Juvenile Division, as a result of an investigation by the Kosciusko County Sheriff's Department, agents from Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
The fire that occurred in the early morning hours of July 22 destroyed the newer part of the church and gutted the historic half. No one was injured in the blaze, and police at the time said they believed it was started in the basement sometime around midnight.
Grevenstuk was originally taken into custody and charged with obstruction of justice, for refusing to speak to investigators, and with intimidation, for reportedly threatening a witness.
Grevenstuk is the son of Sheila and Michael Grevenstuk, who were convicted of arson and sentenced to prison last summer for burning their Milford home to collect insurance money.
Sheila served six weeks of a four-year sentence, and Michael's sentence was suspended because of poor health.
Kolbe asked the court to immediately detain Grevenstuk, but Superior Court Judge Duane Huffer declined.
"We vigorously requested that he be detained, and Judge Huffer declined to detain him because he already had been released on a bond," Kolbe said.
Grevenstuk faces maximum sentences of 50 years on the Class A felonies, eight years on the Class C felonies, and three years on the Class D felonies.
No court date has been set. [[In-content Ad]]