Church Worker Charged With Arson After Fire, Racist Graffiti

KANSAS CITY, MO — A church maintenance worker was charged with arson Monday after federalprosecutors said he set a fire and spray-painted racist graffiti on a predominantly black Kansas City church in order to cover up a theft.

Suspect Nathaniel Nelson was a member and worker of the Concord Fortress of Hope church and its cultural center, where the arson and graffiti were discovered early Sunday. Sprinklers quickly put out an intentionally set fire in an office, investigators said. Graffiti on the church included a racial slur and "KKK."

Nelson told investigators he was at the church to do drugs and he tried to steal money, a federal affidavit indicated. He spray-painted the graffiti to throw off investigators, he reportedly told them.

Online court records do not indicate if Nelson has an attorney.

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