Rucker pleads not guilty

by Ryan Collingwood Staff Writer
| February 18, 2017 12:00 AM

COEUR d'ALENE — Shane R. Rucker pleaded not guilty Friday in U.S. District Court to the arson of a Bonners Ferry church.

Rucker, who was arrested Thursday, is facing felony charges of destruction of religious property and using a fire to damage or destroy religious property in connection with the April 2016 fire that destroyed St. Ann’s Catholic Church.

If found guilty, the 33-year-old Boundary County man faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison and a maximum fine of $250,000.

Wearing a yellow Bonner County jail suit, Rucker's hair and beard were much shorter than Thursday's mugshot. He requested a public defender, and a Boise-based judge, via televideo, assigned attorney Amy Rubin.

The judge scheduled Rucker's trial for March 20 and his next hearing for Wednesday, Feb. 22.

On April 21, 2016, Rucker allegedly entered the St. Ann’s Catholic church and set three separate fires in the basement. The federal government became involved because of the federal violation of the Church Arson Prevention Act.

Rucker has a criminal history that includes burglary, drug paraphernalia and violation of a protection order.