Columbia Men Charged with Arson After Destroying Caldwell Parish’s Only Catholic Church the Friday Before Holy Week

SHREVEPORT- On April 1, 2026, the United States Attorney's Office for the Western District of Louisiana charged Anthony Dillon, Jr., 19, and James Dale Smith IV, 21, both of Columbia, with arson after the two burned down the only Catholic church in Caldwell Parish the Friday before Holy Week was set to begin. If convicted, the two men face a mandatory minimum of five years in federal prison with a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, three years of federal supervision, and a fine of $250,000.

"Worshiping where we choose is a fundamental liberty woven into the founding fabric of this Nation, and these two men are alleged to have destroyed the sole church in Caldwell Parish where its Catholic residents could meet and worship right before the holiest week in the church calendar," said United States Attorney Zachary A. Keller. "Our Office looks forward to seeking and securing justice for the residents of Caldwell Parish here and hope that this case shows our rural communities that we remain present and vigilant in serving and protecting them."

As alleged in court documents, Dillon and Smith were residing in a home that was stealing electricity from the church and sold a broken television set to another Columbia resident in the days leading up to the arson. After the church disrupted the electricity theft and the men's customer contacted them about the broken television, Dillon and Smith showed up to the church in the early hours of March 27, 2026, breaking a window with a baseball bat to gain entry to the church. After ransacking the church's electronic equipment, including the theft of at least three televisions and a sound system, the men set the church ablaze. When law enforcement arrived after a 911 call reported the church to be on fire, they found the church burning down:

By the time the fire was extinguished, the church's interior was largely destroyed:

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives is investigating this case with assistance from the Louisiana State Fire Marshal, the Caldwell Parish Sheriff's Office, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Keller with assistance from Paralegal Specialist Joanne Henry-Mills.

U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Keller for the Western District of Louisiana made the announcement.

A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

You may find a copy of this press release (and any updates) on the website of the United States Attorney's Office for the Western District of Louisiana at https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdla.

Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Western District of Louisiana at www.lawd.uscourts.govLinks to other government and non-government sites will typically appear with the "external link" icon to indicate that you are leaving the Department of Justice website when you click the link. or at https://www.lawd.uscourts.gov/cmecf-pacerLinks to other government and non-government sites will typically appear with the "external link" icon to indicate that you are leaving the Department of Justice website when you click the link., under Case Number 26-mj-00089.

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Public Affairs

United States Attorney's Office

Western District of Louisiana

[email protected]

https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdla

Twitter @USAO_WDLA