MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA, July 12, 2006: Two men have pleaded guilty to felony charges in connection with the vandalism earlier this year at the site of a Hindu temple still under construction in Maple Grove. Tyler William Tuomie, 19, and Paul Gus Spakousky, 20, of Maple Grove, each pleaded guilty to charges of first degree damage to property. On April 6, Maple Grove Police were dispatched to the construction site to find the temple site had been broken into and vandalized, with several ornate, handcrafted statues having been completely destroyed. Tuomie and Spakousky were arrested for the crime on May 10. Under the terms of their guilty pleas, Tuomie and Spakousky each face 30-60 days in jail and five years of probation. Conditions of their probation will include attending a meeting with Hindu community representatives at the temple, participating in 200 hours of community service at the temple and paying restitution of up to $96,454. “We met last week with Hindu community representatives about their desired outcome in this case,” said Hennepin County Attorney Amy Klobuchar. “The guilty pleas and the proposed sentences are consistent with what they wanted to see happen. In particular, they want these two young men to learn about the Hindu religion and to understand the harm inflicted on the Hindu community by their actions.” Klobuchar added Tuomie and Spakousky will be sentenced on September 14.
A daily summary of world news for Hindus and non-Hindus alike