Suspect in Florida mosque fire may plead no contest

Published February 06, 2017

An ex-convict who investigators say confessed to setting fire to a Florida mosque tied to the Orlando nightclub shooter may plead no contest to those charges.

Public defender Stanley Glenn told local reporters last week that Joseph Michael Schreiber may plead no contest at a hearing Monday.

He is charged with second-degree arson for allegedly torching the Islamic Center of Fort Pierce last Sept. 11, the 15th anniversary of the 9-11 terrorist attacks.

A no contest plea is treated the same as a guilty plea. The 32-year-old Schreiber could get 30 years in prison.

Orlando nightclub shooter Omar Mateen sometimes attended the Islamic center. Mateen killed 49 people at the Pulse nightclub last June before being killed by police.

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https://www.foxnews.com/us/suspect-in-florida-mosque-fire-may-plead-no-contest