Defense counsel has been assigned to all four men involved in the bombing incidents at Grace and Three Pines Apostolic churches.

Sidney Fletcher, 21 of DeRidder, will be represented by Tony Bennett; Timothy Free, 18 of DeRidder, by Sam Jones, Nathan Lee, 17 of Rosepine, by David Wallace; and Anthony Martin, 17 of Rosepine, by Mitchel Evans.

In Beauregard Parish, each man is charged with one count of theft, one count aggravated burglary, two counts possession and manufacturing of a bomb, and two counts simple arson of a religious building.

The charges currently pending in Vernon Parish are theft, simple burglary, criminal damage to property, vandalism, and discharging an in cinerary device.

Three of the crimes carry mandatory jail time. Each individual is looking at a minimum of seven years hard labor in prison; four of those years without possibility of parole or suspension. The maximum amount they could each face is 110 years and up to $50,500 in fines.

The four men allegedly broke the windows of Cypress Creek Baptist Church in Vernon Parish on the evening of July 1, 2009. After that the men are reported to have robbed a fireworks stand and a Frito Lay distribution truck. Using materials stolen from both sites, they made three bombs. One was set off on a roadway in Vernon Parish, one was set off outside of the Champions Center at Grace Church in DeRidder, and one was left, but not detonated, in Three Pines Apostolic Church in DeRidder.

The four are accused of stealing music and audio equipment from Three Pines as well.
Beauregard Parish Police Officers responded to a burglary in progress at Three Pines after a call was made by a person living in the church who allegedly heard the men inside.

Two of the men fled the church on foot, two in a truck. The two on foot were found by BPSO officers on church grounds; the two in the truck were found due to the identification of the make, model, and license plate number of the truck. The information about the truck was given to police by an eye witness.

Currently each defendant is being held in the Beauregard Parish Jail on $90,000 bonds.
None of the assigned attorneys were available for comment.