The college philosophy teacher from New Jersey accused of entering St. Patrick’s Cathedral in Manhattan with gasoline cans, lighter fluid and butane lighters had also booked a hotel just 20 minutes from the Vatican, a New York prosecutor said Wednesday. Police previously said that Marc Lamparello had booked a flight to Rome for the next day.
Assistant District Attorney David Stuart said during a brief court hearing that Lamparello was "planning to burn down St. Patrick's Cathedral" when he was arrested last week.
The prosecutor made no further remarks about the Rome plans but referred to Lamparello as a flight risk. He said Lamparello had spent "considerable time planning and surveilling" St. Patrick's before his arrest.
Lamparello, of Hasbrouck Heights, made his initial court appearance from a hospital.