St. Mark Arson Suspects Arraigned On Firearm and Ammunition Charges

FLINT – Sonja L. Settles, 50 of Flint, and Billy J. Chambers, 63 of Flint, were arraigned last week on a second superseding indictment, which added new firearm and ammunition charges against the pair, to their previous charges related to the arson of St. Mark Missionary Baptist Church, announced United States Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon Jr. 

Joining in the announcement was James Deir, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF) – Detroit Field Division.

The second superseding indictment charged Settles with being a felon in possession of a firearm and Chambers with being a felon in possession of ammunition.       

Court records allege that in the early morning hours of August 30, 2025, Settles and Chambers spoke by phone. A short time later, around 2:03 a.m., Chambers walked to St. Mark Missionary Baptist Church from a nearby field east of the building. He looked around the area where the fire would later be started. Chambers went back into the field and returned around 2:11 a.m. carrying an object in his right hand. He used it to break a church window and then walked back to the field.

About a minute later, Chambers returned carrying a piece of cloth and a red gasoline can hidden inside a black garbage bag. He poured gasoline through the broken window, placed the cloth in the window opening, and poured more gasoline inside. At about 2:13 a.m., Chambers went back to the nearby field and threw away the gas can, which was still inside the garbage bag. Three minutes later, around 2:16 a.m., he returned to the church carrying a device used to start a fire. He lit the device and used it to ignite the gasoline, setting the church on fire. About four minutes after the fire started, around 2:20 a.m., Chambers called Settles. Phone records show that Chambers' cellphone connected to a tower located less than half a mile from the church. At the same time, Settles' cellphone connected to another nearby cell tower in the area of the church.

The Flint Fire Department responded and put out the fire. The blaze caused about $350,000 in damage, and the church was unable to hold regular worship services for about two months while repairs were made.

The new charges are alleged to have occurred on March 10, 2026 (Settles), and June 5, 2026 (Chambers). 

This case was investigated by special agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, with assistance from the Flint Police Department.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Anthony Vance. 

An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt.  The defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.