Fortification

CAIR-Florida talks about the impact the arson had on the Fort Pierce community

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• published: 15 Sep 2016
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Wilfredo Ruiz, Communications Director for CAIR Florida, talks about the impact the arson had on the Fort Pierce community. ST. LUCIE COUNTY — A 32-year-old Port St. Lucie man who posted anti-Muslim sentiments on social media is accused of causing the early Monday fire at the Islamic Center of Fort Pierce, St. Lucie County Sheriff’s officials said. Joseph Michael Schreiber, of the 5700 block of Northwest Zenith Drive, Port St. Lucie, was arrested about 5 p.m. Wednesday in downtown Fort Pierce, Sheriff’s Maj.David Thompson said at a news conference late Wednesday at the Sheriff’s Office. Schreiber was walking on the sidewalk in the 100 block of Depot Drive when he was arrested. Tips from residents helped identify Schreiber, leading to his arrest. “This was harmful to the community,” Thompson said. “This was a place of worship, and it was very important for the community that we brought this individual to justice.” Schreiber was charged with arson, a second-degree felony, but that charge became a first-degree felony with a possible 30-year prison sentence if he is convicted because of the state’s hate-crime enhancement, Thompson said. Schreiber is accused of starting a fire early Monday, not long after the 15th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks, at the mosque on Midway Road. “A fire at any place of worship, regardless of your beliefs, is a tragedy,” Sheriff’s Chief Deputy Garry Wilson said. Detectives were interviewing Schreiber late Wednesday at the Sheriff’s Office before taking him to the St. Lucie County Jail, where he will be held without bail. Officials also were searching his home late Wednesday. Schreiber, whose criminal history includes an arrest on a charge for robbery with a firearm, qualifies as a prison release re-offender and faces a 30-year minimum prison sentence, Thompson said. Schreiber also qualifies as a habitual felony offender and could face life in prison. According to a Florida Department of Law Enforcement background check, Schreiber was born in New York. He has been arrested 12 times in Florida between 2003 and 2014. Most of the arrests involved misdemeanor offenses, including shoplifting and larceny. He’s had two felony convictions in Martin County, which landed him in prison twice. The FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives continued investigating the case and could file federal charges against Schreiber, said Michael D’Alonzo, the FBI’s assistant special agent in charge in Miami. “We take any act of violence or threat towards a house of worship very seriously,” D’Alonzo said. After Sheriff’s officials received only eight tips, they asked Tuesday for the community’s help, Thompson said. The tips that came after, along with surveillance videos from homes and businesses on Midway Road and Torino Parkway, helped identify Schreiber as the person on the motorcycle seen on video leaving the mosque. Schreiber also owns a motorcycle consistent with the one seen in the surveillance video, Thompson said. Other evidence collected at Schreiber’s home also linked him to arson. Officials declined to go into their investigative methods. Schreiber’s Facebook posts and comments of anti-Muslim propaganda became evidence for the hate-crime charge, Thompson said. A post from July 12 on Schreiber’s Facebook profile included the following: “IF AMERICA truly wants peace and safety and pursuit of happiness they should consider all forms of ISLAM as radical, the truth is that there is no such a thing as radical ISLAMIC extremism... ALL ISLAM IS RADICAL , and should be considered TERRORIST AND CRIMANALS…” Arsonist strikes Islamic Center of Fort Pierce; members will rebuild Members of the Council on American-Islamic Relations in Florida made a statement about 7 p.m. Wednesday at the Islamic Center condemning Schreiber’s actions. “He will spend a lot of time in prison thinking about the damage he has done to the Fort Pierce community, Muslim community and the American community as a whole,” said Wilfredo Ruiz, communications director for CAIR in Florida. “People who commit acts like this want to create division amongst America.” A LaunchGood campaign fundraising page was created Monday to rebuild the damaged mosque, according to the website. So far, $21,052 has been donated. The campaign will collect funds until 11:45 p.m. Sept. 30. Source: http://www.tcpalm.com/story/news/crime/st-lucie-county/2016/09/14/islamic-center-arson-fort-pierce-st-lucie-county-florida-fire-crime-arrest-islam-muslim-mosque/90369032/