Bogatz Jr. Sentenced to more than 5 Years for 2018 Detroit Lakes Fire at The Refuge Christian Outreach Center

DETROIT LAKES (KDLM) – Gary Bogatz Jr., who set fire to The Refuge Christian Outreach Center in Detroit Lakes will spend over five and a half years in prison.

Bogatz Jr. was sentenced to 68 months in prison, Thursday after a jury convicted the Elk River man of 1st Degree Arson for the September 2018 fire at The Refuge.

According to the complaint, investigators matched a fingerprint on a door handle to Bogatz Jr. and he later admitted to his involvement in the fire. He told investigators that he was asked by a board member of the Refuge and another person to start the fire using gasoline. He suggested that it was an attempt to collect insurance money.

The fire to the Refuge led to an insurance payout of over $500,000.

Bogatz Jr. faced up to 20 years in prison.