A Harpswell father and son have been charged with two counts of criminal mischief in connection with antisemitic graffiti found at an intersection on Great Island.
William Deary, 49, and his son, Hayden Deary, 18, are scheduled to appear in West Bath District Court on Tuesday, April 16, the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office said Thursday, Feb. 8, in a news release.
Criminal mischief is a “Class D” crime, punishable by up to 364 days in jail and a $2,000 fine. The sheriff’s office noted that the Brunswick Police Department assisted in locating, identifying and charging the two residents.
The criminal cases against them are being reviewed by the Cumberland County District Attorney’s Office, according to the release. They also have been referred to the state Office of the Attorney General, it said.
“The totality of the investigation and circumstances uncovered through the investigation (have) led the investigating agencies to believe that these cases may rise to the level of civil rights violations, both on the state level and possibly federally,” the release said.
Discovered in mid-January, the graffiti included a swastika and a brief message invoking the Holocaust. It was on the pavement of Stevens Corner Road at the intersection with Harpswell Islands Road, one of the two main roads through Harpswell.
“The graffiti was determined to be hate speech toward the Jewish community at large,” the release said.
It added that investigators were grateful to “community groups and individuals who contacted us, provided information and supported their neighbors, family and friends throughout this investigation to bring this case to a successful resolution.”
Have a comment or news tip? Email J. Craig Anderson at craig@harpswellanchor.org.