Man convicted of Islamic Center fire disallowed to withdraw guilty plea

Federal court judge refused to accept change of plea

Randolpfh Randy Linn, 52, of St. Joe, Indiana, in DeKalb County. was arrested October 2, 2010, in Fort Wayne, Indiana, in connection with the fire September 30, 2012, at the Islamic Center of Greater Toledo. His motion today to change his guilty plea was denied by a federal court judge.

A federal court judge today refused to allow an Indiana man convicted of starting a fire at the Islamic Center of Greater Toledo to withdraw his guilty plea.

Following a brief hearing, U.S. District Court Judge Jack Zouhary said Randolph Linn, 52, of St. Joe, Ind. was entirely competent when he entered his guilty plea in December – a plea agreement that includes a recommended 20-year prison sentence.

The judge said there was “nothing in the plea hearing, nothing in the description of the crime” that would lead him to believe Linn was not mentally competent.

Linn pleaded guilty to one count each of intentionally defacing, damaging, and destroying religious property; using fire to commit a felony, and using and carrying a firearm to commit a crime of violence for the Sept. 30 fire at the mosque in Perrysburg Township.

Judge Zouhary confirmed his sentencing date of April 16.