Martinez admitted to police that he lit the banner on fire using lighter fluid and a lighter after stealing it from the church, according to court documents. Police said he stole a pride banner hanging at Ames United Church of Christ and burned it early June 11 outside the Dangerous Curves Gentleman’s Club. – An Iowa man was sentenced to about 16 years in prison after he set fire to a church LGBTQ flag in June.Īdolfo Martinez, 30, of Ames last month was found guilty of a hate crime – a class “D” felony – third-degree harassment and reckless use of fire. As Robert Heinlein predicted long ago, these are the crazy years:
