Sweet Home Prison, OR, Church Arsonist

Oct. 31—A Sutherlin man was sentenced to five years in prison for setting fire to a church in Sweet Home.

Andrew Jacob Justin Cartwright, 37, pleaded guilty to first-degree felony arson last week at the Linn County courthouse.

Oregon State Police arrested Cartwright in April 2023 in connection with a February 2023 fire at Fir Lawn Lutheran Church that severely damaged the building, according to authorities.

He said he did not ask for a lawyer at his trial last year on charges of arson, burglary and criminal mischief, but was ultimately granted representation and pleaded guilty to starting the fire.

“I did this because I don’t like the church” Cartwright told the court, adding that he wanted the sentence to be given as quickly as possible. “I’m not going anywhere; I will go to prison for life.”

Fir Lawn Lutheran Church Council President Barb Moody declined to comment on the outcome of the case or Cartwright’s sentence. Following the fire, Fir Lawn held services at Sweet Home United Methodist Church.

On Oct. 17, the Sweet Home Planning Commission held a public hearing to consider a conditional use permit allowing American Legion Post 133 to occupy the former Fir Lawn building. Commission members unanimously approved the permit application.

Moody confirmed the Legion was interested in purchasing the building and said plans were underway to install a new roof before any sale was made.

A suspicious fire in the early morning hours

Around 1:25 a.m. on February 25, 2023, someone called 911 to report that Fir Lawn Lutheran Church, 109 W. Holley Road, was on fire.

Fire crews who arrived at the scene saw flames and smoke rising from the church. Sweet Home Fire District upgraded the fire to a two-alarm emergency and called for backup from Albany, Brownsville and Halsey. Fire crews reportedly worked at the scene for more than an hour.

Investigators discovered multiple ignition points at the church, as well as the possible use of accelerators, according to an Oregon State Police probable cause affidavit. A K-9 that detected the arson was brought down by Portland Fire and Rescue to confirm that someone had lit the fire intentionally.

Police zeroed in on Cartwright as the suspect using security videos from a neighbor’s home and the Thriftway gas station, noting that Cartwright was wearing a distinctive, high-vis jacket similar to what firefighters typically wear.

Sweet Home police attempted to make contact under the Pleasant Valley Bridge, where Cartwright was known to be camped, but he was not there, according to the affidavit. Instead, officers found a burned Bible at the campsite along with mail addressed to Cartwright.

About 12 hours after the fire, Cartwright was seen using a computer at the Sweet Home Public Library. The library director told officers that Cartwright smelled not just campfire smoke, but a much stronger odor of smoke, the affidavit said.

When Oregon troopers found Cartwright in April 2023, he reportedly said he spent the night at the church and headed for Roseburg the next morning. He acknowledged wearing a green and black reflective jacket that night.

He later admitted to starting the fire, the affidavit states.

Court records show Cartwright has previously been convicted of harassment, possession of methamphetamine, carrying a concealed weapon, unauthorized use of a vehicle, trespassing, DUII and unlawful possession of a firearm.

In January 2017, Cartwright was arrested in Lebanon on suspicion of raping and sexually assaulting a mentally disabled woman in 2013. The jury found him not guilty and he was acquitted of all charges in this case.

Cartwright was determined to be mentally unfit to continue hearings in May 2023, according to court records that show he is being treated at Oregon State Hospital. He was later deemed fit to continue in August 2024.

At the time Cartwright was sentenced in the arson case, he was also sentenced in another case in which he was charged with third-degree robbery, third-degree burglary and failure to appear. Cartwright pleaded guilty to the robbery charge and was sentenced to 18 months in prison, concurrent with the five-year arson sentence.

He was also ordered to pay $10 restitution to the victim in the Serrano’s Taqueria robbery case, according to court documents.

Cartwright is currently being held at Coffee Creek Correctional Facility in Wilsonville, according to Department of Corrections records. The earliest release date is listed as June 16, 2028.

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