Last defendant in Mosque burning pleads guilty
By Clay Carey • THE TENNESSEAN • September 22, 2009
The final defendant in the burning and vandalism of an Islamic center in Columbia pleaded guilty in federal court today.
Eric Ian Baker and two other men were charged with setting fire to the Islamic Center of Columbia in February of 2008.
According to federal officials, Baker admitted that he, Michael Corey Golden and Jonathan Edward Stone used Molotov cocktails to set the fire that destroyed the mosque. He also admitted to painting swastikas and the phrase “white power” on the mosque before it burned.
Stone and Golden pleaded guilty last year and will be sentenced in November. A sentencing date for Baker has not been set. All three face federal prison sentences of up to 30 years.