Stripper Sentenced in Church Arsons
I N D I A N A P O L I S, Nov. 15 -- A judge sentenced an exotic dancer to 16years and eight months in prison today for her role in a seriesof church arsons.
Angela Wood, 25, of Athens, Ga., who pleaded guilty a year agoto several arson-related counts, cried and apologized for heractions before U.S. District Judge Sarah Evans Barker.
“I was too lazy to think for myself, and I let somebody elseinfluence me. I can’t blame anyone else for that,” Wood said.
Wood was the companion of self-described Satanist Jay ScottBallinger, whom Barker sentenced Tuesday to nearly 43 years inprison for setting 26 church fires in eight states.
Barker also ordered Woods on supervised release for five yearsafter competing her prison time and to pay restitution of $362,000.
‘Too Lazy to Think For Myself’
Wood said her actions were unexplainable, but at the time shetrusted Ballinger and shared his satanic views. The couple have a5-year-old daughter who is staying with Ballinger’s parents.
Wood’s attorney said she was a lost soul.
“[Ballinger] beat her a lot if she didn’t cooperate,” saidEdward F. Schrager. “He told her she would never see the childagain. This is someone who was living on the streets of Bloomingtonfor a year before she met Ballinger.”
Barker said she considered the abusive nature of therelationship in handing down the sentence.
Ballinger has pleaded guilty to burning churches in Indiana,Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee, Missouri, Alabama, South Carolina andCalifornia. He still faces federal charges in Georgia for fivechurch fires in 1998 and 1999, including one that killed afirefighter.
Popular Reads
ABC News Live