OLYMPIA, Wash. — An Olympia man was sentenced Friday for four hate crime attacks that happened in 2018.
Investigators say Mikey Starrett, 52, set fires and shot at Jehovah’s Witness Kingdom Halls across Thurston County. No one was hurt, but it sparked fear for congregants.
In federal court, Starrett was sentenced to 11 years in prison.
Court documents state the first attack happened around 3:30 a.m. on March 19, 2018.
In a plea agreement, Starrett admitted to intentionally setting a fire at the Kingdom Hall of Tumwater. He then traveled to the Kingdom Hall of Olympia and set a fire there, too. Both buildings were damaged.
Two months later, at the Kingdom Hall of Yelm, a rifle was used to fire multiple rounds, and a month and a half after that the Kingdom Hall of Olympia was burned to the ground.
"Nearly 1000 Jehovah's Witnesses were displaced because of that, because of those events. But more than that, it was the emotional and the mental trauma,” said Erik Larson, the Northwest Regional spokesman for Jehovah's Witnesses.
"The FBI was part of it, ATF, local law enforcement, and we devoted significant resources to getting to the bottom of this,” said Jonas Lerman, the assistant U.S. attorney for the Western District of Washington.
Investigators built a case against Starrett, who was arrested years ago and learned his punishment on Friday. In addition to 11 years in prison, he must pay more than $700,000 in restitution.
"It remains sort of a mystery why Mr. Starrett has this hatred towards Jehovah's Witnesses, but he admitted under the plea agreement that that was the motivation,” said Lerman.
"He has been scratching his head, saying, what was I doing? And I feel terrible for these people,” said Starrett’s Attorney Bryan Hershman.
Hershman said his client is remorseful.
"We hope it deters not just Mr. Starrett personally, but others who might contemplate these kind of horrific hate crimes,” said Lerman.