On March 14 the Grinnell Police Department issued an arrest warrant for former Grinnell student Gregory Rosic '11 in connection with the homophobic vandalism that occurred in Haines Residence Hall on Feb. 22. Greg Rosic is charged with one count of Criminal Mischief in Violation of Human Rights, a Serious Misdemeanor under Iowa's Hate Crime Statute.

Greg Rosic, who is originally from Evanston, Illinois, enrolled at Grinnell College this year as a first-year but withdrew Feb. 26th, after the vandalism occurred earlier this semester.

Chief of Police Jody Matherly said that, if Greg Rosic were tried and found guilty, the sentencing would be left entirely to the court. Greg Rosic faces a charge of Criminal Mischief in the fourth degree, which is punishable by up to a year in prison and a fine of between $250 and $1500.

The vandalism in question would normally be cited as Criminal Mischief in the fifth degree which applies to damage of $200 or less. But according to Iowa Law, a Criminal Mischief charge that can be classified as a Hate Crime automatically has its degree of severity increased. The homophobic statements accompanying the vandalism elevated the act to the status of a hate crime which also raised it to a fourth degree charge.

"It's under the state charge for hate crime," said Matherly. "Any time you commit a criminal mischief--in this case damaging property--and it's based on the person's ... sexual orientation it's a hate crime."

Greg Rosic could not be contacted for comment; George Rosic, Greg Rosic's father, said he was speaking on behalf of his son and said that, "Greg denies all allegations and will vigorously defend himself."

George Rosic said that the family would likely hire legal counsel to contest any charges. "If he's been charged, we're going to hire a criminal lawyer," he said. "He's going to plead not guilty, and the people who charged him are going to have to testify to the amount of the damage."

George Rosic also questioned whether or not the vandalism constituted a crime under Iowa law. "Was a crime really committed?" he said. "Criminal mischief presumes some monetary property damage. What is the property damage? And if it's some posters that are just thrown away, what's the monetary damage?"

Under Iowa Title XVI Section 716.1, Criminal Mischief is defined as "Any damage, defacing, alteration, or destruction of tangible property is criminal mischief when done intentionally by one who has no right to act so."

While questioning whether the acts were criminal, George Rosic said that they were nonetheless unfortunate. "Obviously it's serious," he said. "It's not a good thing to offend people."

George Rosic also said that his son was in no way connected to a Feb. 29 incident wherein letters with homophobic slurs were mailed to 34 members of the campus's queer community. "I want you to know that Greg had absolutely no way of sending those letters. He left school on Tuesday the 26th," said George Rosic. "He was not within the state of Iowa beginning Tuesday afternoon and he has not been back since. We totally abhor those."

The Grinnell Police Department and Grinnell College Security are still investigating the letters incident. Grinnell Police Department could not comment on whether or not there is any connection between the two acts.

Matherly said the department believed Greg Rosic to be out of state and that he would have to return to Iowa to be arrested and tried. Any multi-state action, such as an extradition, is unlikely, he said. "We don't set that; the courts do," said Matherly. "But usually there's not an extradition or anything with a charge like this."

Joseph LaVoie '11, who roomed with Greg Rosic for the first half of the fall semester this year, would not comment on Greg Rosic's connection to the vandalism and said that he has not heard from him since he withdrew from the college. "I sent him an e-mail but he hasn't responded yet," he said.

He said that he and Greg Rosic had become good friends and he plans to continue to contact him. "Greg is a really nice guy," said LaVoie. "He and I got really close and I'm planning to keep in touch with him."