NEW CANEY, Texas – Two people have been arrested in connection with the 2023 fire at a Buddhist temple in New Caney, KPRC 2 News learned Friday.
FBI Houston announced on X that a man and a woman were arrested for the fire, which took place in November 2023, at the Huyen Trang Buddhist Meditation Center located in the 1700 block of FM 1485.
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Austin Tanton, 28, and Kayla Thompson, 31, were taken into custody in Cleveland and have since been charged with conspiracy to commit malicious use of explosive materials and using explosive materials in the commission of a felony. Tanton is also charged with possession of an unregistered destructive device.
BREAKING: A Montgomery County man and woman have been arrested by FBI Houston agents for the November 2023 fire at a Buddhist temple in New Caney, TX. Austin Tanton and Kayla Thompson were taken into custody Friday morning in Cleveland, TX and are scheduled to make their initial… pic.twitter.com/euPvMwyrAs
— FBI Houston (@FBIHouston) September 19, 2025
“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 J. Ganjei. “No one should fear being attacked in their house of worship. The Southern District will continue working with our law enforcement partners to hold accountable those who seek to spread fear and violence through acts of hate or intimidation.”
What happened?
On Nov. 15, 2023, deputies with the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office responded to the fire at a temple after surveillance video showed a man walking on the property, ripping the screen off the temple’s window, and throwing a Molotov cocktail inside the temple, where a monk was sleeping.
The monk who was inside the meditation room, sleeping, jumped out of bed and ran to the fire, grabbed a bag, and attempted to put out the fire. Court documents say four people in total were inside the temple during the fire.
Authorities later identified Tanton as the suspect and Thompson as the driver of the vehicle. The charges allege that the two conspired together, along with others, to attack the Buddhist worship center.
If convicted, they both face up to 20 years in federal prison and a maximum $250,000 fine for conspiracy to commit malicious use of explosive materials and use of explosive materials in commission of a felony. Tanton could also face an additional 10 years, served consecutively, and up to a $10,000 fine if convicted of possessing an unregistered destructive device.