Snoqualmie man sentenced to four years for racist graffiti spree
August 27, 2010
By Dan Catchpole
NEW — 10:45 a.m. Aug. 27, 2010
Almost a year after downtown Snoqualmie was hit by racist graffiti and vandalism, a Snoqualmie man pleaded guilty to the spree and to assaulting a police officer. He was sentenced to
Adam Moore pleaded guilty June 17 at King County Superior Court to three counts of malicious harassment and third degree assault of a police officer. He was sentenced to 37 months for the assault and 50 months for the malicious harassment.
The 24 year old had been charged with nine counts of malicious harassment.
Moore was arrested July 11 after biting a Snoqualmie police officer outside a bar in the city’s historic downtown. After his arrest, he spent time in and out of a state mental hospital, but was found to be mentally competent.
At the time of his arrest, Moore was the police’s lead suspect in connection to the hate graffiti drawn with spray-paint and pen on the exterior of several churches and other buildings, according to Snoqualmie police.
According to the King County prosecutor’s office, Moore has been charged in connection with graffiti found:
- June 9 at the Nazarene Church, 3900 block of Southeast Park Street, and Mount Si High School, 8651 Meadowbrook Way S.E.
- June 21 at Scriptures Christian Store, 8100 block of Railroad Avenue Southeast.
- June 28 at St. Claire Episcopal Church, 8600 block of Railroad Avenue Southeast; United Methodist Church, 3800 block of River Street; and Our Lady of Sorrows, 3900 block of Southeast Alpha Street.
- June 29 at the Scriptures Christian Store. Graffiti was also found next door outside the Snoqualmie Tribal offices.
- June 30 at Snoqualmie Market, 8000 block of Railroad Avenue.
The graffiti included swastikas and phrases such as “white power” and “kill religion.”
Police are also investigating Moore for a group of unsolved arsons in Snoqualmie that occurred around the same time, according to the court documents.
A Snoqualmie police officer questioned Moore July 11 outside Smokey Joe’s Tavern in downtown Snoqualmie after police received a malicious mischief report at about 12:30 p.m. Moore had allegedly placed a poster featuring swastikas and racist statements in the men’s bathroom at the tavern.
According to police reports, Kasel recognized Moore from surveillance photographs as a suspect in the hate graffiti and in three fires lit overnight at downtown locations on June 30.
Kasel attempted to question Moore outside the tavern about the racist poster. Moore allegedly wouldn’t answer the officer’s questions and used racist epithets against Kasel. The incident escalated and Moore allegedly punched Kasel several times in the face before another Snoqualmie police officer arrived.
While Kasel tried to get Moore under control, he allegedly bit the officer’s arm, breaking the skin. After handcuffing Moore and placing him in the back of a police car, he allegedly spit on the car’s windows and pushed against the door and cage with his feet and back.
Moore has a history of assaulting police officers, according to prosecutors. Documents show that Moore has two prior convictions for custodial assault in 2007, and convictions assault in the third degree and attempted assault in the third degree in 2006.
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