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FORT WAYNE — A DeKalb County man accused of setting fire to a golden-domed mosque just outside Toledo has been shipped to Ohio to face a slew of charges filed against him there.
The extradition of Randy Linn, 52, happened right after FBI and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives agents began exploring the possibility he committed federal crimes. Investigators have pegged Linn – who lives off DeKalb County Road 56 in St. Joe – as the man captured in surveillance videos at the Islamic Center of Greater Toledo before it caught fire Sunday.
The fire, ruled arson, caused smoke and water damage in a prayer room at the mosque, which sits along Interstate 75 near Toledo with a dome that is visible for miles.
On Wednesday, Linn was charged in Perrysburg Township Municipal Court with two felony counts of arson, one count of aggravated burglary and one count of carrying a concealed weapon.
“Right now, the investigation is ongoing,” said Special Agent Vicki D. Anderson of the FBI’s Cleveland office. “We’re looking at evidence to see if it meets federal charges. It could be something or it could be nothing.”
Anderson said she could not comment on what those charges might entail.
Indiana State Police troopers, federal agents and other law enforcement officers arrested Linn on Tuesday in the parking lot of Shambaugh & Son, the construction company where he worked.
The company released a statement Wednesday that read:
“Any attempt by anyone to set fire to or otherwise damage a mosque or any other place of worship is reprehensible and is not in keeping with the company’s values.
“This is a developing story and we unfortunately don’t know any more than we read and hear in the press and media.”
Linn was held at the Allen County Jail until Wednesday afternoon.
At that time, Ohio authorities came to pick him up and transfer him back to Perrysburg Township once he decided not to fight extradition, according to the Allen County Sheriff’s Department.
Since news of his arrest broke, little has been made public about Linn.
Court records show he has had a few traffic tickets in Indiana over the past 20 or so years, but those were mainly for speeding or failure to wear a seat belt.
An Ohio television crew traveled to Linn’s home in St. Joe and found the following note awaiting them on his front door:
“No comment, so don’t bother knocking or camping out on my property. Thank you.”
