Watch video Fire investigators say a Powell man admitted dressing up like a ninja to burn down an adult business, all in the name of God.
Benjamin Daniel Warren, age 20, faces an arson charge that could send him to prison for six years. Warren is out on $5,000 bond while his case goes before a grand jury. Arson investigators had no clue Warren was a suspect until he came in to confess.
Arson investigators say Warren admitted using a fake gun to get the clerk out of the Town and Country bookstore,7011 Clinton Highway, back on January 31. After ordering the employee to leave the store, Warren then pored six gallons of a flammable liquid inside the store and set it ablaze.
The fire did $900,000 worth of damage to the building, which remains closed.
At the time of the asron, Warren was enrolled as a student at Crown College, a Baptist institution in Powell.
Crown President Dr. Clarence Sexton says Warren dropped out of the school a few weeks after the arson. A few months later, someone came to Sexton with information that Warren might have confessed to the crime.
"He (Warren) was in an auto accident and thought God was dealing with his conscience about the thing (fire)," Dr. Sexton says. "He wanted to get right with it."
After hearing the rumor, Dr. Sexton called police. He then confronted Warren over the phone.
"He's confessed to the whole thing," Dr. Sexton says. "From what he has shared with me, he felt like this (adult bookstore)industry has corrupted lots of people and families, and he felt he ought to do this at the time."
Dr. Sexton says he himeslf has serious problems with adult businesses, but that Town and Country Boostore was operating within the law. Dr. Sexton says Warren realizes what he did was wrong and regrets what happened.
"We totally disapprove with what he did," Dr. Sexton says. "He broke the law and should suffer the consequences."
10 News stopped by Warren's home and left two messages with his attorneys Friday, but were unable to get any comment.
Last updated: 5/5/2006 6:46:25 PM