Man Charged with St. Vianney Church Fire to Stand Trial

A man accused of setting a fire at St. Vianney Church in Hacienda Heights that caused more than $6.5 million in property damage will stand trial on four counts related to the suspected arson.

Following a preliminary hearing that lasted three days, a Pomona Superior Court judge Thursday found enough evidence to order defendant Gregory Yusuke Shiga, 35, to be held over for trial, said Jane Robison, a spokeswoman with the Los Angeles County District Attorney's office.  

Shiga will return to court May 2 for an arraignment.

The defendant was arrested in May 2012 and charged with setting the April 16, 2011 blaze that gutted the Turnbull Canyon Road church.

Besides the arson charge, the criminal complaint also includes special allegations that Shiga caused multiple structures next to the church to burn and that the blaze was caused by a device made to accelerate the fire or delay ignition, according to the district attorney's office.

On the night of the fire, Shiga allegedly broke into the church just after midnight.  The fire caused "extensve damage" to the church and neighboring buildings. No one was hurt.

The May 14, 2012 arrest followed a year-long investigation the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department and the FBI conducted.

Shiga faces a minimum sentence of 10 years to life in state prison if convicted.

He is being held on $1 million bail in the Twin Towers Correctional Facility in Los Angeles.