Man Accused Of Firebombing Church, Slashing Tires, Damaging Public Facilities Admits To Crimes

A 34-year-old Falls Township man pleaded guilty Tuesday to firebombing a church, damaging a park, vandalizing school and slashing tires on 18 vehicles.

One-man crime spree John Paul Serina Jr. admitted to charges including arson, institutional vandalism, criminal mischief, loitering and prowling and possession of controlled substances and drug paraphernalia, according to the Bucks County District Attorney’s Office.

Serina lit a series of arson fires at Restoration Church on Pinewood Drive in Levittown, which is right near his home, on April 19. The church suffered fire damage in a bathroom, an outdoor playground and a cross in front of the church. Police at the time said a molotov cocktail was thrown through the window of the bathroom.

The 34 year old was also responsible slashing the tires of 18 vehicles in the Pinewood section, defacing Pinewood Community Pool, vandalizing Walt Disney Elementary School twice and firing a BB gun at a resident.

“School workers discovered three spray-paint cans on the roof of the school. Two of the three cans were found to have been purchased at a nearby Walmart store. Police obtained store surveillance video showing a man resembling Serina purchasing the cans of paint and leaving the parking lot in a white SUV,” a news release from the district attorney’s office said.

Surveillance video from one of the crime scenes linked Serina to  at least one of the incidents. Police made the break in their case of June 10.

After the BB gun incident on June 11, officers from Falls and Tullytown apprehended Serina and he later admitted to investigators he was behind the crime spree.

Ross Manders, pastor at Restoration Church, told LevittownNow.com last year that Serina told him the day of the firebombing that he spotted the blaze and even tried to extinguish it.

Serina told fire officials that he returned home from walking his dog when he smelled smoke in the area of the church. They characterized his mood as “excited and agitated.”

The church held services for several weeks outside while the damage was repaired. Dozens of items used by a daycare at the church had to be trashed due to smoke damage.

At the time of the crime, Serina was already on a multi-year state parole, slated to end in 2025, for a 2008 booze-fueled kidnapping of two teenagers in Levittown. The kidnapping ended with Serina firing a handgun in the air and a police standoff on Post Lane. In the time since, Serina has remained quiet and only had a few traffic-related interactions with officers, police said.

“Guilt is a universal experience. Not to be too preachy, but we all stand guilty upon this earth. Yes, John’s guilt is broadcasted for the world but his actions, though they impacted an entire community, are no more heinous then mine or yours in the eyes of our just God and judge. And yet we have received grace and forgiveness and it is our responsibility then to extend those same freeing attributes and expressions of love to John upon his eventual return,” Manders said Tuesday evening.

Serina’s bail was revoked by Boylan after his guilty plea.