( CNN ) -- Wearing red jail coveralls and grim expressions , two suspects who authorities believe are responsible for a string of church fires in east Texas appeared in court Monday . Jason Robert Bourque , 19 , and Daniel George McAllister , 21 , are charged with one count of arson each in connection with a fire set at Dover Baptist Church in Tyler , Texas , on February 8 . The blaze was one of 10 church fires in east Texas this year . Nine have been ruled arson . Authorities said Sunday they believe Bourque and McAllister are responsible for the deliberately set blazes . Steve McCraw , director of the Texas Department of Public Safety , told reporters the two are also suspects in attempted break-ins at three churches earlier this month . The single charge is a first-degree felony , punishable upon conviction by up to 99 years in prison , District Court Judge Christi Kennedy told McAllister on Monday . McAllister communicated with Kennedy mainly by nodding and shaking his head during the appearance Monday , but told her he and his family do not have money to hire an attorney . Kennedy appointed an attorney for him . Bourque gave soft answers to Kennedy 's questions . He appeared with an attorney and did not need one appointed for him . Kennedy continued the $ 10 million bond for both , who acknowledged they understood the charge against them . A federal law enforcement source told CNN that multiple pieces of evidence have been linked to one of the suspects through DNA , and that many of the fires were ignited the same way . Bourque and McAllister are former members of First Baptist Church in Ben Wheeler , Texas , church pastor Carlton Young told CNN affiliate KLTV . `` Daniel was a very quiet young man , '' Young said . `` Jason , at that time , was a little mischievous . '' He told KLTV that he lives next door to the church and several years ago , his wife spotted Bourque and McAllister going into the church one night after midnight . Both had backpacks on , he said . They went into a side door of the church and emerged about an hour later with lollipops in their mouths . Young said nothing was broken or taken and he did not think anything suspicious about the incident . David McAllister , Daniel 's father , also spoke to KLTV . He said his son was `` a good kid , '' but his behavior began to change following the death of his mother about three years ago . `` In the last couple of weeks , I had that feeling that something was not quite right , '' the elder McAllister told the station . He said he had even suspected his son might have something to do with the fires until authorities released sketches of three people earlier this month . The sketches , he said , did not resemble his son . KLTV reported that Bourque 's family declined to comment , saying only that the situation `` was in God 's hands . '' Bourque occasionally attended youth Bible studies at Christ Central Church in Lindale , Texas , church member Austin Johnson told KLTV . He said Bourque was `` brilliant '' and `` very kind '' and was very knowledgeable about the Bible . `` Expecting him to do something like this would have never crossed my mind , '' Johnson said . Investigators first became aware of the suspects about two weeks ago , and had been trying since then to build a case against them , said Thomas Crowley , special agent for the Bureau of Alcohol , Tobacco , Firearms and Explosives . A call from a tip hotline led to the arrests , the bureau has said . Crowley had no information on a possible motive , but said authorities have been interviewing the two since their arrest .
Daniel George McAllister and Daniel George McAllister face 99 years . Pastor of church they attended tells First Baptist Church one was quiet , the other `` mischievous '' Call to a tip hot line led to the arrests , ATF says . one men charged with arson in connection with Two Ben Wheeler church fire .