Birmingham’s Biggest Crooks: Matthew Cloyd, Russell DeBusk and Benjamin Moseley
By Wade KwonIn August, we’re celebrating Birmingham’s Biggest Crooks, whether they be liars, thieves, extortionists, swindlers or thugs. A 30-part series running daily until Birmingham mayor Larry Langford’s Aug. 31 Oct. 19 federal trial. Thanks to Bhamwiki for helping with this project.
Matthew Cloyd, Russell DeBusk and Benjamin Moseley
Positions held: college students
Wanted for: arson, burglary, conspiracy
Date of conviction: Dec. 20, 2006
Sentence: 8 years in federal prison for Cloyd and Moseley, 7 years in federal prison for DeBusk; 2 years in state prison for all three men; $3.1 million in restitution; 300 hours of community service at the churches
Criminally fun fact: Cloyd and Moseley went on a two-night drunken arson spree in February 2006 that destroyed or damaged nine rural Alabama churches. DeBusk took part on the first night. The three said it started as a joke that escalated out of control. Two firefighters were injured while putting out one of the fires.
DeBusk and Moseley were students at Birmingham-Southern College, while Cloyd had transferred from there to the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Birmingham-Southern established the Alabama Churches Rebuilding and Restoration Fund, which distributed more than $368,000 to the churches.
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Additional reading:
- Bhamwiki: Pleasant Sabine Baptist Church and Rehobeth Baptist Church of Lawley
- Crime Watch
- Meet more of Birmingham’s Biggest Crooks | RSS feed
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Friday, November 19, 2010, 6:07 pm
Shame on you! Russel is no crook! He did something wrong, but remember that he only went out the first night. The next day, he was so sick that he didn’t go to class. Also, the Bible teaches us not to judge others. So stop!
Friday, November 19, 2010, 8:30 pm
My judgment or nonjudgment doesn’t change DeBusk’s criminal status. Live with it.
Friday, January 14, 2011, 10:16 pm
they got off easy 2 boys in east texas just got multible life sentences for 10 church arsons in a 5 weeks
Sunday, September 4, 2011, 10:59 am
These guys are such big losers. I read that one of them shot a cow also. I’m glad they are in jail.
Thursday, September 22, 2011, 10:12 am
They get what they deserve. I went to high school with one of them, it was sad how he always tried to fit in that he would do almost anything for people to notice him. They should get longer then just 8 years.
Sunday, November 13, 2011, 1:27 am
I read online that all three are Jewish if so why no mention of that?
Sunday, November 13, 2011, 3:39 pm
Because you should’nt believe everything you read online.