An Indian-American university student is in jail in Texas. He faces serious charges. The student is 22-year-old Manojh Sai Lella.
Who is Manojh Sai Lella?
Lella was arrested on December 22. The arrest happened in Frisco, Texas. Frisco police detained him. They acted on a local warrant and arrested him on sight.
He is currently held in the Collin County jail. Lella faces two criminal charges. The first charge is a very serious one.
He is charged with first-degree felony arson. The charge specifies arson at a place of worship. This means police believe he set a fire with the intent to damage a church, temple, mosque, or similar building.
The second charge is a Class A misdemeanor. It is for making a terroristic threat. The threat was allegedly made against a family or household member.
Court records list Lella as born in 2003. His home address is in Frisco. The Frisco Police Department made the arrest. They also issued the warrant for him.
Authorities have not shared many details. The Frisco Police Department has not commented publicly on the case. Investigators have not named the specific place of worship involved. They have not described the incident in detail.
Lella is a student at the University of Texas at Dallas. He is a senior studying Information Technology. His LinkedIn profile describes him as a driven student.
He lists skills in programming and data tools. His profile also shows volunteer work. He worked as a tutor at Gideon Math & Reading. He was also involved in student business organizations.
His online profile was visible as of Wednesday. However, no public posts could be seen. It is unclear if he has an attorney yet. Court records do not list a lawyer for him.
No court decisions have been made in his cases. The bond amounts for his release are set. The bond for the felony arson charge is $100,000. The bond for the misdemeanor threat charge is $3,500.
The potential penalties are severe. In Texas, a first-degree felony can mean 5 to 99 years in prison. It can even mean a life sentence. A Class A misdemeanor can lead to up to one year in jail.
Prosecutors must first prove the allegations in court. Lella is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
