A homeless man accused of burning a Virgin Mary statue and damaging a historical painting at Mission San Luis Obispo church in November was sentenced Thursday to 160 days in San Luis Obispo County Jail and three years' probation.
Daniel Pettigrew, 25, had pleaded no contest to vandalism of church property before San Luis Obispo Superior Court Judge John Trice. A no-contest plea results in a conviction without an admission of guilt.
Pettigrew is believed to have slipped into the church after 7 a.m. on Nov. 15. He ripped a painting from the wall, letting it crash to the ground, damaging the frame, investigators said.
He then set a fire at the base of a statue of the Virgin Mary, badly damaging the figure in several places, investigators said. A painting depicting Our Lady of Refuge with the baby Jesus was also damaged.
Pettigrew must stay away from the church and undergo mental health and drug counseling as part of the plea agreement.
About comments
Reader comments on SanLuisObispo.com are the opinions of the writer, not The Tribune. If you see an objectionable comment, click the "report abuse" button below it. We will delete comments containing inappropriate links, obscenities, hate speech, and personal attacks. Flagrant or repeat violators will be banned. See more about comments here.