Christopher J. Hadsell "just wanted to express himself" when he spray-painted a valentine in a church yard, and now his illegal artwork has landed him in trouble with the law.
Hadsell, age 23, is accused of vandalizing two local businesses and the Russian Orthodox Church last week, according to charging documents filed Tuesday by the Unalaska Department of Public Safety.
Charges include criminal mischief and defacing a cemetery, for the spraying a heart and arrow in red and gray paint on the archway entry to the cemetery grounds outside the church. He also wrote on the historic church itself. There were no markings on any tombstones, outside the Church of the Holy Ascension, according to the police investigation.
Department director Jamie Sunderland said Hadsell confessed to the crimes in an interview, and was not arrested. He said handcuffs tend to make suspects less talkative. The defendant has been summoned to appear in court May 29. Another person is also expected to be charged, he said.
Hadsell allegedly confessed to police officer Stephen Kelly.
"He stated that he felt really bad for doing so. Hadsell told Officer Kelly he just wanted to express himself," according to the court document.
Self expression with spray paint spanned both islands, from the church on Unalaska to two businesses on Amaknak, including Highliner Food, where he tagged vehicles, trailers, and a building.
"He admitted to spraying a heart shape on the outside wall of the building. He also told Officer Kelly that his girlfriend works for the very same company," Sunderland said.
Hadsell faces two counts of first-degree trespassing for the Highliner incident, and a similar art attack on the Kloosterboer freezer building on Ballyhoo Road.
The church vandalism sparked local outrage.
It was reported to police by church committee president Vincent Tutiakoff, who said he was deeply disturbed by the desecration.
Tutiakoff said he was very appreciative of sympathy expressed to him by local fundamentalist pastor John Honan.
None of the graffiti was verbally hostile, Sunderland said.
"The words that I saw were not offensive as far as I can see, other than that they were spray painted on somebody else's property," Sunderland said.
This article was originally published in The Dutch Harbor Fisherman and is reprinted here with permission. Jim Paulin can be reached at jpaulin(at)reportalaska.com