Michael Aaron Ferguson, 19, who pleaded guilty in 3rd District Court to second-degree felony arson, has been sentenced to probation and given credit for the 157 days he spent in jail.

Charges of criminal mischief and burglary were dismissed.

Christina Bell, 16 - described by prosecutors as the instigator of the break-in - was charged in juvenile court, where she was certified as an adult to stand trial.

She has pleaded guilty to first-degree felony aggravated arson. Charges of criminal mischief and simple assault, for biting a neighbor who tried to hold her for police, were dismissed.

Sentencing for Bell is set for June 1 before Judge Deno Himonas.

Sometime before 11 p.m. on Nov. 7, the teens broke into the church at 1078 S. McClelland Street (1045 East), in Salt Lake City, by using an aluminum bat to break the glass front doors.

They spray painted graffiti throughout the interior, smashed property and then poured gasoline and ignited it.

Two men who live next door to the church saw the teens exiting the church, and tackled them and held them for police, according to fire officials.

Prosecutor Jeffrey Hall said $1.9 million was a conservative estimate of the rebuilding costs. The fire did not burn throughout the building, but because of extensive smoke and water damage, the entire interior must be torn out and replaced, he said.

Meanwhile, church leaders have written letters of forgiveness to the court on behalf of the defendants.

Hall said he believes the girl attended the Sugar House church but that Ferguson attended an LDS ward on the west side of the city.

Asked the motive for the break-in, Hall said: "Vandalism. To mess it up. But why this church, in the manner they did, I don't know."