The Carson City Sheriff’s Office has made warrant arrests on three adults accused of widespread graffiti and vandalism during the fall of this year. The three suspects have been identified as: Colton J. Banta, 21, Tyler James Vansickle, 20, and Teri Riddle, 19. A fourth person of interest was not charged.
The arrests resulted from information gained following the extreme provoking and revolting vandalism of a church located just off of downtown Carson City at Musser and Division Streets. According to reports, a tip led Deputies to question a female, Teri Riddle, who admitted to the vandalism.
At the time of the interview, she was accompanied by Colton Banta, who was arrested on unrelated probation charges. Subsequent investigative activities resulted in a warrant being issued for Banta’s arrest, along with the other two, Vansickle and Riddle. Deputy sheriff’s assigned to the Special Enforcement Team investigating the vandalism spree were able to determine that all three suspects acted in support and with knowledge of one-another, frequently from a residence just one block away from the church.
The Carson City Sheriff’s Office credits the immediacy of the original tip with the breaking of this spree of vandalism. As Deputy Bob Motamenpour was speaking with the first female identified, she still had residue paint on her hands from the church graffiti. Based on Motamenpour’s initial findings, the Special Enforcement Team was able to identify all of the participants and obtain the warrants for their arrests.
Each suspect has been booked into the Carson City Jail on the charges of “Damage to Property Used for Religious Purposes”, three counts, a Gross Misdemeanor (up to one year in jail and $2,000 fine). Bail has been set at $2,500.