Graffiti on a church led to the arrest of a Warsaw man for criminal gang activity.
Scott E. Thompson, 30, of 211 W. Jefferson St., Apt. A, Warsaw, was arrested Tuesday night and charged with criminal gang activity, a level 6 felony, and criminal mischief, a Class A misdemeanor. His bond was set at $5,250.
According to a probable cause affidavit from the Kosciusko County Prosecutor’s Office, on Dec. 9 a Warsaw police officer responded to a report of gang graffiti on Healing House of God Church. The officer observed “Eastside 207 life” spray painted on the east side of the church. The officer spoke with a church representative who said she had seen the graffiti earlier in the morning and believed it was gang related.
The officer spoke with another officer who said he had taken reports of graffiti in several other locations, which occurred sometime between Dec. 6 and Dec. 7.
On Dec. 8, a third officer responded to a battery in progress at a local fast-food restaurant. The officer observed Johnathan Pappas standing at the front counter with a red bandanna tied around his neck and wearing a red shirt, the probable cause affidavit states.
A male subject, identified as Frankie Winiavski, was standing beside him with no shirt and a red bandanna around his neck in a similar fashion to Pappas’. Winiavski was bleeding from his left eye and forehead.
Police requested Pappas place his hands behind his back, but the man became agitated and resisted law enforcement, the affidavit states. Pappas was taken to the ground and handcuffed.
Police spoke with a restaurant employee who then pointed to the ground where a box cutter was and the employee advised it was used in the altercation. The employee also pointed to a male subject, later identified as Coulter Slone, sitting at the rear of the restaurant and advised that he also was in the fight. The box cutter was taken as evidence.
The officer then spoke with Slone who said he was jumped by Winiavski and Pappas. Slone advised they were yelling they were members of the Blood gang.
Slone said Winiavski and Pappas had their gang flags on their face and Winiavski swung at him and he pulled a knife out, punched and went to slice Winiavski. Slone was not sure if he cut Winiavski. Slone got on top of Winiavski and started to hit him and Pappas kicked him in the face during the fight.
An officer spoke with Winiavski and observed a laceration to the top of his forehead and around his left eye.
Winiavski said Slone and he had been talking on Facebook about photographs of Slone allegedly touching a 13-year-old and Winiavski told Slone on Facebook he was going to fight him.
He said Slone initiated contact with a box cutter and he fought back. Pappas intervened when Slone pulled out the box cutter. He was able to hit Slone and kick him in the face.
Winiavski said he has been involved in the Bloods gang for the last two or three years and that he is allowed to recruit members for the gang.
The affidavit states that Pappas, Ryan Sparks, Shane Compton and Winiavski are all part of the Rolling 20s Blood set and they also have two cadets. Winiavski advised they are responsible for the graffiti “rolling 20s” in Warsaw.
Winiavski was taken to the hospital for treatment to his injuries.
Police speaking with Winiavski observed gang tattoos and both Winiavski and Pappas were dressed in gang-related colors of clothing, and the red bandannas also are gang clothing.
Winiavski told police Thompson and a juvenile had done the graffiti to be initiated into the gang.
Police displayed photographs of the gang graffiti to Winiavski, who advised he saw Thompson and the juvenile spray paint the graffiti and that it is all related to the gang, Rolling 20s, which is considered a division of the Bloods.
Winiavski was present when Thompson spray-painted the gang name on Healing House Worship Center Church at one time.
Police also found evidence on Facebook of Pappas wearing a red bandanna around his face and using Blood gang hand signs.
Pappas said Thompson had written the gang graffiti on the church, according to the affidavit.
