CrimeSociety and CultureCrime and Justicehate crimes

Man Who Tore Down, Burned LGBTQ Flag Sentenced To 15 Years In Prison

Adolfo Martinez, 30, was sentenced for the hate crime, harassment and reckless use of fire.
Associated Press
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Adolfo Martinez, 30, was sentenced Wednesday to 15 years in prison for burning an Iowa church's LGBTQ flag.
Charlie Nguyen Photography via Getty Images

NEVADA, Iowa (AP) — A man has been imprisoned for burning an LGBTQ flag that was flying at a church in central Iowa.

Adolfo Martinez, 30, of Ames, was sentenced Wednesday to 15 years for the hate crime of arson and given a year for reckless use of explosives or fire and 30 days for harassment. The sentences are to be served consecutively, Story County court records said.

A jury convicted Martinez in November. He’d been arrested in June.

He’s said he tore down the flag that had been hanging from the United Church of Christ in Ames and burned it because he opposes homosexuality.

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