MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA, USA, May 12, 2006: Two teenage men were charged on felony counts today for the April 6 burglary and damage to the Hindu Temple in Maple Grove, the city’s police department said today. Paul Gus Spakousky, 19, of Maple Grove, and Tyler William Tuomie, 19, of Andover, were arrested on Wednesday by Maple Grove police and Anoka County deputies. The formal complaint filed today in Hennepin County District Court charges the two men with two counts each of felony first-degree criminal damage to property and one count each of felony third-degree burglary. Severe damage was committed to the temple. The Hindu society of Minnesota has been offering a reward for information and conviction of people who committed the damage. In its statement today, Maple Grove police said investigators identified and questioned several people about the incident. Further, it said the investigation determined that the temple break-in “was not an isolated incident,” and that the investigation is continuing. The Hindu Society of Minnesota announced a $10,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible.
Further information and photos of the teens are available here.
The official charge sheet can be downloaded here. According to the charge sheet, the teens have confessed. The charge sheet reads in part, “Defendant Spakousky stated that he would like to talk to the owners and beg forgiveness. Defendant Spakousky stated they didn’t know the building was a Hindu temple and that their vandalism had nothing to do with religion and that he was sorry for what they had done.” According to the sheet, the teens had told several of their friends they were responsible for the vandalism. One of those friends informed on them to the police on May 9, and they were arrested on the 10th.