The Orange County Criminal Lawyer Blog
A suspect is facing a felony charge after allegedly using a power tool to carve a slogan associated with QAnon into a 4000-year-old tablet at America’s Stonehenge in New Hampshire.
America’s Stonehenge sits in Salem, New Hampshire.
According to the official website, the more than 4000-year-old historic anomaly contains a “maze of man-made chambers, walls and ceremonial meeting places” that are constructed in stone.
In September 2019, the authorities were notified about an act of vandalism that had taken place and left a piece of the structure damaged.
Police visited the site and talked to the owner, who reported that he located an 18-inch “wooden cross with several pictures and drawings, suspended from two trees” that he found unsettling. Upon further inspection of the surrounding area, the owner said the most prominent slab at Stonehenge had etchings reading “WWG1WGA” and “IAMMARK” carved into the surface.
QAnon supporters have been known to use “WWG1WGA,” an acronym for “where we go one we go all,” to represent their beliefs.
An investigation was opened to try to track down the source of the reported defacing, and surveillance video that was believed to show the suspect was collected.
It was purported by the police that the cross with the hanging pictures was intended to replicate crucifixion, and they noted that it had a passport picture of a man affixed to it.
While seeking information regarding the “IAMMARK” carving, a Twitter profile with the same name was revealed by a source interviewed by the authorities. The FBI began searching for the identity of the account holder.
The results of their search reportedly showed that 50-year-old Mark Russo, resident of Swedesboro, New Jersey, was the owner of the Twitter account.
When reading some of the tweets posted from the account during the time the incident reportedly occurred, the detectives stumbled upon one stating in part, “Oh made a few improvements @American Stonehenge(crying emoji) sorry Scottie Wolters my bad (middle finger emoji).” Pictures of the site and the cross found at the scene were also displayed.
Using Russo’s driver’s license picture, the detectives alleged that he was the person responsible for the destruction of the slab, and the owner of the Twitter account.
On March 1, Russo was taken into custody on a warrant. He is expected to face charges for felony vandalism and was released on a $3,000 bond.
If you or someone you love is suspected of a criminal offense, contact Orange County criminal defense lawyer Staycie R. Sena at (949) 477-8088 for a consultation now.