Suspected church vandals waive preliminary hearing

Three men accused of vandalizing and stealing from five area churches and a law office earlier this month waived their preliminary hearing Thursday in front of Associate Circuit Judge Gary Kamp. The three were bound over to Division I, and will appear before Circuit Judge William Syler for arraignment Feb. 7.

Daniel Richard Rainey, 19, of 610 Red Bud Circle, and Erich C. Montgomery, 20, of 3002 Aspen Drive, Apt. C, were arrested Jan. 3 and charged with a total of 17 counts of burglary, property destruction and theft in connection with the church and office incidents.

Billy Ray Fowler, 31, of 706 Fourth St., Scott City, was also arrested Jan. 3 and charged with one count each of burglary, property damage and theft in connection with the break-in at the law office. He was not charged with any of the church burglaries.

Rainey and Montgomery stand accused of the Dec. 16 break-in at Freedom Rock, owned by the Cape First Assembly of God Church; the Dec. 18 burglary of Grace United Methodist Church; the Dec. 30 burglary of Centenary United Methodist Church; the burglary Dec. 31 of the Church of the Nazarene and Lighthouse Bible Baptist Church; and the New Year's Day burglary of the law office of Kevin Phillips.

The break-in and property damage charges are all felonies, according to Prosecuting Attorney Morley Swingle. All of the churches sustained damage to windows, doors, equipment and furniture. Windows, walls, furniture and electrical equipment were damaged in the law office.

All of the thefts, except for Freedom Rock, are misdemeanors. Items taken from Freedom Rock totaled more than $500 in value.

Cash was taken from the churches. Blank checks, a cell phone, clothing and other personal items were stolen from the law office.

Rainey, Montgomery and Fowler remain in the Cape Girardeau County Jail. Bond for Rainey and Montgomery was set at $35,000 each; Fowler's bond is $12,500.

lredeffer@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 160