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CITY, N.D. (NewsDakota.com) A Fargo man accused of setting fire to a church in an attempt to cover up the break-in and burglary entered guilty pleas in a Change of Plea hearing August 25 stemming from the October, 6 2013 incident.

A trial for Andrew Miklas (Meek-Loss) was called off last week after a plea agreement was reached.

States Attorney Carl Martineck said in a summary that according to his accomplice Nicole Linderman, Miklas broke into the church and stole cash and 3 bottles of wine and later returned to the church with a gas can filled with paint thinner and started 3 separate fires in the church.

Martineck says an empty gas can used by Miklas was found in the back yard of a Valley City home several days after the church was burned.

Defense attorney Steve Mottinger told Judge James Hovey that he is working to get charges his client faces in Nelson and Griggs Counties cleared up before the sentence hearing in Barnes County. Judge Hovey says the sentence hearing will be set in 90 days.

Miklas pleaded guilty to felony Arson, felony endangering by fire or explosion, felony Burglary and a misdemeanor charge of Theft of Property. Judge Hovey told Miklas that he could be sentenced as a habitual offender meaning the Class “B” felony he faces could be increased from 10 to 20 years and the two Class “C” felony counts could increase from 5 to 10 years in prison.

Both Miklas and his accomplice Nicole Lindermann pleaded guilty during their August 25 Change of Plea Hearing.

Miklas remains in custody in the Barnes County jail. Lindermann is free on her own recognizance according to her bail agreement.

Several members of Faith Lutheran Church were in the courtroom including Pastor Jolene Knutson-Hanse. She said “People have been waiting for this to help provide some closure, much sadness still remains for our congregation, I know that many people have been praying for Nicole and Andrew to realize the hurt that they have caused and hopefully to find healing in their own lives.”

The church will soon build a new structure across the street on the current Smith Lumber Company site. The fire damaged church was demolished earlier this year. Groundbreaking on the new Church is tentatively set later this year. A new building for Smith Lumber is now under construction on east Main in Valley City.