Haven't you read any of the articles provided? The prosecutor said:
"we learned from the trial Mr. Martinez had been watching our church for some time."
"I believe him to be very dangerous," Story County Attorney Jessica Reynolds said. "That's why my office recommended the maximum sentence."
Reynolds said the judge agreed to the 17-year sentence because Martinez has a long history of harassment and is a habitual offender and never showed any remorse.
"The defendant stated that there was nothing the judge could to stop him from continuing this behavior and that he would continue to do this no matter what," she said.
"It was an honor to (burn the flag)," Martinez told KCCI in June." It's a blessing from the Lord."
It was a combination of his actions, before he seized the flag which led all to understand that it was hate that spurred the man to burn the flag. This added 5 years to his sentence but because of the state's third strike law, meaning he had previously been convicted of two separate violent crimes, the sentence was increased to 17 years.