A man convicted of torching a South Texas mosque last year has been sentenced to more than 24 years in prison. Marq Vincent Perez was sentenced Wednesday during a court hearing in Victoria, Texas.

In July, a jury convicted the 26-year-old Perez of federal arson, explosives and hate crime charges. Mark Di Carlo, Perez's defense attorney, says his client is "disappointed in his lengthy sentence" and will appeal his conviction.