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In order to gain a conviction under these statutes, part of President Bill Clinton's Church Arson Prevention Act of 1996, prosecutors will have to prove that not only did the defendant set the fires, but that he did so because of the religious character of that property or that the arson was committed intentionally to obstruct any person in the enjoyment of that person’s free exercise of religious beliefs.
Firefighters were called to St. Ann's at approximately 1 a.m. Thursday, April 21, where they found the building fully engulfed. Investigation found that three separate fires had been started in the basement, and that religious statues had been been vandalized. Similar vandalism had been reported about two months earlier at both St. Ann's and Trinity Lutheran Church, also in Bonners Ferry.
If the fire was set to deny others their right to worship, it didn't work for very long; St. Ann's parishioners were soon made welcome at a neighboring church until temporary facilities were brought in. This spring, reconstruction to begin to replace the 120-year-old church.
Though his name was not officially released, Rucker was identified early on as a person of interest. He had been charged with three counts of burglary later on the day of the St. Ann's fire after being spotted shortly after 4 p.m. attempting to break in to the Rex Theater, and reported not long after for breaking into two vehicles. Those charges were later reduced from felonies to two misdemeanor counts of unlawful entry and one of petit theft, and upon being convicted, he was fined and sentenced to 180 days in jail, given credit for 124 days served and 56 days were suspended.
At Friday's federal hearing, Rucker requested and was appointed a public defender, and trial was set for March 20.
In addition to the federal trial, Rucker is also scheduled to appear for trial in District Court May 9 before Judge Barbara Buchanan on a felony charge of possession of a controlled substance resulting from an October 6, 2015 arrest.