Introduction
HOUSTON, Texas — September 19, 2025 — Federal prosecutors have charged two Montgomery County residents in connection with the 2023 firebombing of the Huyen Trang Buddhist Meditation Center in New Caney, Texas. The indictment, announced by U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei, accuses Austin Willard Tanton, 28, and Kayla Lynn Thompson, 31, of conspiring to use explosive materials to commit a violent act against a place of worship.
The Attack
According to court filings, the attack occurred late on the night of November 5, 2023, when a man allegedly hurled a Molotov cocktail through a temple window. The crude incendiary device ignited a fire that scorched the floor and rug inside the meditation hall. Four people—including the temple’s head nun—were asleep inside when the explosion occurred.
Surveillance footage reportedly captured a vehicle stopping near the property gate moments before the attack. Investigators say the driver waited while a man exited, broke a window screen, ignited a gasoline-filled jar, and threw it into the temple before fleeing. Monks inside quickly extinguished the blaze, preventing what authorities described as a potentially catastrophic fire.
The Investigation
After months of forensic analysis and review of surveillance evidence, investigators identified Tanton as the alleged thrower of the incendiary device and Thompson as the getaway driver. The pair are accused of conspiring with others to target the Buddhist temple in a premeditated act of violence.
“The use of firebombs to attack a place of worship is a direct threat to the safety and peace of our community,” said U.S. Attorney Nicholas Ganjei. “No one should fear being attacked in their house of worship. We will continue to hold accountable those who seek to spread fear through acts of hate or intimidation.”
FBI Houston Special Agent in Charge Douglas Williams emphasized that religious freedom is a fundamental right. “Their alleged actions intimidated a peaceful community and struck at the heart of American religious liberty,” he said. “The arrests make clear that the right to practice one’s faith without fear will be fiercely defended by the FBI.”
ATF Special Agent in Charge Michael Weddel added that using explosives to target a house of worship “is both a violent crime and a direct attack on the community’s sense of safety.”
The FBI Houston Field Office, ATF Houston, and the Montgomery County Fire Marshal’s Office jointly led the investigation, which spanned nearly two years.
The Charges and Potential Penalties
Tanton and Thompson are charged with conspiracy to commit malicious use of explosive materials and using explosive materials in the commission of a felony. Tanton faces an additional charge for possession of an unregistered destructive device.
If convicted, both defendants could face up to 20 years in federal prison and fines of up to $250,000. Tanton could receive an additional 10 years and a $10,000 fine for the weapons offense.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jennifer Weinhold and Anthony Franklyn are prosecuting the case.
