From .
In early January 2017, a fire allegedly started by Mark Vincent Perez burned a mosque in Victoria to the ground. Since then, the community has remained quiet about the motivations for this act of arson. As the case goes to trial, details are finally coming out, one witness at a time.
Prosecutors say 鈥渞abid hatred鈥� was the motive for Perez鈥� action, and they have now outlined the case to jurors. Perez is charged with arson and a hate crime, with a potential 40-year sentence and up to $250,000 in fines.
covers crime and the courts for the Victoria Advocate and has been reporting on the case. After three days, he says, prosecutors are 鈥渂lazing through their witnesses,鈥� hearing from ATF agents, FBI agents and digital forensic experts.
One man testified that he met Perez through a Facebook group known as 鈥�3 Percenters.鈥� The group was described by the prosecution as a 鈥渜uasi-militia group鈥� and said to have 鈥渆spoused anti-muslim beliefs鈥� by the FBI.
鈥淭hey discussed together that they were fearful of Muslims and Perez decided he would drive by the mosque late at night to see if they were up to any violent acts,鈥� Wilcox says.
Perez recruited teenagers from his own neighborhood to form 鈥渞ogue units鈥� and even referred to himself and his efforts using paramilitary coding and terminology. Prosecutors say one recruit, a then 16-year-old, assisted Perez in breaking into and burning down the mosque.
Perez joined the .
Wilcox says the consensus in the community is that the actions that Perez and his paramilitary group are accuse of do not mainstream values in Victoria. Members of the mosque who were present at trial declined to comment, at the request of prosecutors.
鈥淏ut when we hear testimony about him recruiting people, maybe just young people, it鈥檚 very troubling,鈥� Wilcox says. 鈥淚t鈥檚 something that gives pause.鈥�
Written by Sarah Yoakley.
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