A Kentucky man pleaded guilty to damaging religious property.
Court documents say that on January 28 and 29, 2025, Marley R. Taylor, 27, of Hopkinsville, destroyed a statue of Mary holding baby Jesus located at a Catholic church by using an axe to chop off both statues’ heads.
Taylor admitted that he intentionally decapitated the statue of Mary and Jesus because he believed people prayed to the statue as an act of worship. The statue had been hand-carved from marble and imported from Italy.
“The violent destruction of religious property due to hatred for another’s faith is both intolerable and un-American,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Civil Rights Division. “The Department of Justice stands firmly against anti-Christian bias and will hold accountable anyone who targets Americans because of their religious beliefs.”
There is no parole in the federal system.
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“We cannot and will not accept attacks on the free exercise of religion, nor the desecration of sacred religious symbols. Mr. Taylor intentionally desecrated two of Christianity’s most revered symbols, statutes of Mary and Jesus, as an attack on the Christian faith. His motives and his conduct have earned these federal charges. Let this be a warning that no attack on the exercise of religion—regardless of faith—will be tolerated in the Western District of Kentucky,” said U.S. Attorney Kyle G. Bumgarner.
U.S. Attorney Kyle G. Bumgarner of the Western District of Kentucky, Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Civil Rights Division, Special Agent in Charge Olivia Olson of the FBI Louisville Field Office, and Chief Jason Newby of the Hopkinsville Police Department made the announcement.
“Mr. Taylor not only intentionally and severely damaged two religious statues at a place of worship, but by doing so, he also violated a key principle of our nation, the freedom of all to express religious beliefs afforded under the U.S. Constitution,” said Special Agent in Charge Olivia Olson of the FBI Louisville Field Office. “As our mission conveys, the FBI will work tirelessly alongside our partners to ensure Constitutional rights provided to every American are protected.”
Taylor pleaded guilty to damage to religious property. He is scheduled to be sentenced on March 10, 2026, at 11:30 a.m.
If the court accepts the terms of the plea agreement, Taylor faces a penalty of not more than three years in prison and payment of not less than $35,935 in restitution. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
“I would like to thank our federal partners for their constant support in helping us protect the citizens of Hopkinsville from those that choose to threaten our quality of life,” said Chief Jason Newby of the Hopkinsville Police Department. “Citizens have the right to live in a society where their beliefs and safety should never be violated by those who threaten either with violence. We will continue working together to ensure our commitment to make Hopkinsville a safer community remains successful.”
This case is being investigated by the FBI Bowling Green Satellite Office and the Hopkinsville Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Raymond McGee, of the U.S. Attorney’s Paducah Branch Office, and Trial Attorney Julia White of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section are prosecuting the case.
