The harsh sentence elevated the local crime story to international prominence, and created quite a stir on social media. Story County Attorney Jessica Reynolds said the hate crime charge stemmed from the fact that authorities believe Martinez burned the flag because of “what it represents as far as sexual orientation.” The harsh sentence is mostly due to the hate crime charge, which is a class D felony. He was sentenced on Wednesday to 16 years behind bars. Martinez admitted to burning the flag and was found guilty last month. The Washington Blade was more neutral, stating, 'LGBT advocates continue to criticize Donald Trump for the anti-LGBT positions he's laid over the course of his presidential campaign, but they can't say he's never waved a rainbow Pride flag.' The Blade also quoted Chris Barron, 'a gay conservative activist and founder of LGBT for Trump,' who. He had also threatened to burn down the club. Martinez later burned the purloined flag, doused with lighter fluid, outside the Dangerous Curves Gentleman’s Club, which had actually been kicked him out earlier that day. He was arrested after police said he stole a pride banner hanging at the Ames United Church of Christ on June 11. Police are asking anyone with information about the crime to call Crime Stoppers at 31.Stealing a Pride banner from a church and burning it outside a local strip club has landed an Ames, Iowa resident in prison for sixteen years, on hate crime charges.Īdolfo Martinez, 30, has been found guilty of a hate crime, third-degree harassment and reckless use of fire for stealing. Some people are fascists, and this is how they keep things a certain way, so they don’t have to deal with things that make people afraid.” “But this puts this neighborhood in a unique position to take a stance. “Unfortunately, this will go on and on,” she said. She said she fully expects the flags to be burned again. “Well, what are you gonna do? Not get more flags? I mean, it’s scary, but it’s also important to stand up to fascism.” I ordered four more right after, and then Micala ordered four more,” Zachary said. When asked if they would replace the flag, Micala and Zachary were both quick to answer in the affirmative. The crime, although terrifying, has only motivated the family to continue standing up for their beliefs, they said. But, as Micala noted, that commenter “got shot down pretty quick” by others. “Why can’t you keep this to yourself?” one stated. “So many people on the Facebook page have been saying, ‘I”m going to put up,” Micala said.Īs of Saturday, there were only a few less than supportive responses on Facebook. The news has already swept across the Riverside Facebook page, with the majority of commenters showing their support for the Gingrich-Gaylords. “What I think happened was, they saw all these flags put up in unison, and then decided to set ours on fire,” Micala said. She said that show of solidarity is likely what inspired the crime. “I felt this real good energy about seeing all the flags go up in the neighborhood,” Micala said. In the wake of this offense, several more rainbow flags popped up on the block, in a show of solidarity. They also ordered two more flags and gave them to neighbors on the 1100 block of Coolidge Street. A few days later, a neighbor returned it, saying she had found it in her yard. Two weeks ago, the family noticed their flag had been stolen. “My husband thinks they wrapped the flag around the pole before they set it on fire.” That would indicate that time and care went into the act.īut this wasn’t the first time someone messed with the family’s flag. Saturday morning, has left the family rattled. The offense, committed some time between midnight and 7 a.m. Additionally, the police force’s LGBT liaison sergeant, Vanessa Rusco, has been contacted and is aware of the situation. They were told that the neighborhood police would be posting flyers of the crime around the neighborhood.
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The Gingrich-Gaylord family filed a police report with an officer who stated it would be classified as an aggravated arson and hate crime. He said this was the first time his family has experienced an apparent hate crime, a crime motivated by prejudice on the basis of race, religion, sexual orientation, or other grounds. Zachary has lived in Riverside for seven years with his wife, Micala, and their family. The 3×5-foot flag, which was attached to their house by a flagpole, was completely burned, with the flagpole singed a mere six inches from the house. Zachary Gingrich-Gaylord woke up on Saturday to find that his family’s gay pride flag had been burned to a nub on the porch of their Riverside neighborhood home. The family said their flag was also stollen several weeks ago. 15 years for burning a gay pride flagThe penalty DOES NOT fit the crime Posted on by Natan Lawrence Here is another example a justice run amok by leftist, amoral God-haters including this particular so-called Christian church. Micala Gingrich-Gaylord’s family found their gay pride flag burned early Saturday morning.