An Iowa man who set fire to a church LGBTQ flag in June was sentenced Wednesday to over 15 years in prison. Adolfo Martinez, 30, was found guilty last month of a hate crime, third-degree harassment and reckless use of fire, the Des Moines Register reported.
Martinez stole an LGBTQ flag hanging from the United Church of Christ in Ames – about 35 miles north of Des Moines – and set it on fire outside a strip club on June 11, police said.
Adolfo Martinez was sentenced to prison Wednesday for multiple charges related to burning an LGBTQ flag.
Martinez admitted to police that he stole the flag from church and burned it because he opposed homosexuality.
Martinez was arrested in June and convicted last month.
He received 15 years for the hate crime of arson, one year for the reckless use of explosives or fire and 30 days for harassment.
Story County court records showed the sentences are to be served consecutively.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
