Man who set fires around North Providence church pleads guilty

NORTH PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WLNE) — A Rhode Island man admitted that he set fires around a predominantly black North Providence church in February 2024 and also that he assaulted two federal correctional officers while in detention.

36-year-old Kevin Colantonio, of North Providence, was charged with malicious damage by means of fire and obstruction of free exercise of religious beliefs, and two counts of assault on a federal officer.

Colantonio set several fires around the exterior of Shiloh Gospel Temple around midnight on Feb. 11.

The fire was quickly extinguished by North Providence Police and Fire Departments, and a police investigation found accelerant on several pieces of clothing Colantonio owned.

A search of his residence found notebooks with writings, including one entry which said, “The age of false churches target side operation. Eliminate Rich Snob global Elite Pastors, burn churches down to ground, when congregants move to next church, do the same… .”

In a separate entry, Colantonio wrote, “hunt them down gun everyone down that isn’t white, if one is white spread the gospel. Always give our bloodline a chance.”

Police also found that he had privately messaged a family member that “no one in the community cared” about the arson, and that he called the church “Athiest God mockers,” and that, “They’re busy dancing around collecting money.”

Colantonio also admitted to assaulting two federal correctional officers while he was detained at the Donald W. Wyatt Detention Facility in this matter, including that he struck two federal officers with human bodily waste and fluid that were contained inside a mug he tossed at the officers.

According to court documents, Colantonio had previously agreed to plea guilty to “intentionally selected the church as the object of the arson because of the actual or perceived race, color, religion, national origin, and/or ethnicity of the congregants.”

He is scheduled to be sentenced on May 27.