BUTLER TWP — Two 21-year-old men face charges after burning a stranger’s American flag on July 3.

However, the pair says it was a regrettable act of drunkenness and stupidity, and even before being charged they gave the homeowner a new flag and an apology letter.

“We don’t have anything against America or anything like that,” said defendant Jacob Ferguson of Butler, who is charged with misdemeanor counts of desecration of a flag and loitering as well as summary charges of criminal mischief, public drunkenness and disorderly conduct. “We are not bad people. We just made a dumb mistake and I’m sorry.”

According to court records, an unidentified caller saw Ferguson and Brian Bresnehan of Butler light the flag on fire on Crosslands Road about 5 a.m. The caller told police the men lit the flag on fire, and it went out. “… They both walked back again and set it on fire,” the criminal affidavit says, noting the flag was still burning when police arrived.

Court records say footprints in the grass and a cellular telephone found at the scene helped investigators identify the suspects.

Ferguson, claiming ownership of the cell phone, acknowledged burning the flag, according to court records. Police said the defendant, who appeared intoxicated, reportedly told investigators he was trying to “fix” some fringed edges to the flag by singeing them, and the flag caught fire.

“It was a small, minor thing (that was wrong with the flag). It was a joke that it needed to be burned because it was defective,” Ferguson said Monday.

The men said after a night of drinking they walked from a friend’s house to a convenience store. While walking back, they saw the flag hanging from a tree. It had a loose end and the pair joked about how damaged flags should be burned. The flag caught fire more than they had anticipated.

They regretted what they did. And, they say they were walking back to put out the fire when police caught up with them.

“This was a dumb move and we’re both remorseful and ashamed,” said Bresnehan, who is charged with public drunkenness and disorderly conduct. “If we could take it back, we would.”

Ferguson said already a letter of apology and a new flag were left on the homeowner’s porch. The homeowner could not be reached.

Court dates have been set.