Religious Hate Crime Plea for Former Concord Resident

OAKLAND - Former Concord resident Hugo John Scherzberg on Monday pleaded guilty in federal court to committing a religious hate crime in relation to a March 2010 Pittsburg church fire.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office says Scherzberg, 48, admitted to using gasoline and a lighter to set fire to the Church of the Living God located on Harbor Street in Pittsburg.

Scherzberg admitted he set fire to the church because he felt God had dealt him a poor hand in life.

Authorities say he also admitted he chose the Pittsburg church in particular because it had the words “Living God” in its name and it was “readily accessible.”

At the time of the fire, a separate congregation, Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church, also rented the church building for religious services.

Authorities say Scherzberg admitted that his actions caused significant damage to the entire church building and property within the building, and that almost the entire church building required reconstruction. Losses totaled more than $490,000, according to insurance claims.

Scherzberg agreed to make restitution for these losses.

Scherzberg was indicted by a federal grand jury on March 5, 2015, on one count of burning the church building because of its religious character, and on a second count of arson of a building used in activities affecting interstate commerce.

Under Monday’s plea agreement, Scherzberg pleaded guilty to the first charge.

Scherzberg currently is being held in the custody of the United States Marshals.

His sentencing hearing is scheduled for March 28 in Oakland. The maximum penalties for damaging religious property by fire is 20 years imprisonment and a fine of $250,000 (or twice the gross gain or loss caused by the offense, whichever is greater), plus restitution.

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