A homeless man was arrested on Monday by the La. State Fire Marshal’s Office (LSFMO) for allegedly setting the fire that demolished a Main St. building in Jeanerette on June 2.
Roger Hogan, 58, faces charges of simple arson and criminal trespassing.
Four businesses were damaged in the June 2 fire, which occurred in the 1300 block of Main St. and included a historic building dating back to the 1920s. The building had most recently been a Radio Shack location. The Catholic Church had been looking into the building with the intention of turning it into a bargain store.
LSFMO Public Affairs Director Ashley Rodrigue said investigators determined the fire began in a shed connected to the building. Hogan was known to seek shelter in the shed without permission and was taken into custody Monday, June 13 and charged after being questioned.