Snoqualmie man sentenced to more than four years in prison for racist graffiti
September 1, 2010
By Dan Catchpole
NEW — 11:00 a.m. Sept. 1, 2010
Almost a year after downtown Snoqualmie was hit by racist graffiti and vandalism, a Snoqualmie man pleaded guilty to the spree and assaulting a police officer. He was sentenced to more than four years in prison.
Adam Moore pleaded guilty June 17 in 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 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 was charged in connection with graffiti found:
q June 9 at the Nazarene Church, 39051 S.E. Park St., and Mount Si High School, 8651 Meadowbrook Way S.E.
q June 21 at Scriptures Christian Store, 8150 Railroad Ave. S.E.
q June 28 at St. Claire Episcopal Church, 8650 block of Railroad Ave. S.E.; United Methodist Church, 38701 S.E. River St.; and Our Lady of Sorrows, 39025 S.E. Alpha St.
q June 29 at the Scriptures Christian Store. Graffiti was also found next door outside the Snoqualmie Tribal offices.
q June 30 at Snoqualmie Market, 8030 Railroad Ave. S.E.
The graffiti included swastikas and phrases such as “white power” and “kill religion.”
A Snoqualmie police officer questioned Moore July 11 outside Smokey Joe’s Tavern in downtown Snoqualmie after police received a malicious mischief report just after midnight.
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 June 30.
Kasel attempted to question Moore outside the tavern about the racist poster. Moore told the officer he wouldn’t answer his questions and used racist epithets against him. When Kasel told Moore he was being detained until he “figured out what was going on,” Moore punched him several times in the face before another Snoqualmie police officer arrived, according to court documents.
While the two officers tried to get Moore under control, he bit Kasel’s arm, breaking the skin, according to court documents. After Moore was handcuffed and put in the back of a police car, he 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. Court documents show Moore has two prior convictions for custodial assault in 2007, and convictions for third-degree assault and third-degree attempted assault in 2006. During a mental health evaluation in 2007, Moore said he wanted to “kill a cop,” according to charging papers for the assault.
As part of his sentencing, Moore is not allowed to have any contact with Kasel for five years.
Dan Catchpole: 392-6434, ext. 246, or editor@snovalleystar.com.
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