MONTVILLE — An 18-year-old Montville resident and a juvenile have been charged after an investigation into racist, antisemitic and homophobic vandalism in Wethersfield, according to the Wethersfield Police Department’s October 15 release.
Police identified the adult as Dante Roma. The department said he and a 17-year-old boy voluntarily surrendered after officers obtained arrest warrants. The juvenile’s identity is withheld.
The investigation concerns damage during the overnight hours of September 19–20, not a newly unfolding incident. Officers first responded to a vandalism complaint on Valley Crest Drive at about 5:39 a.m. September 20 and found a vehicle defaced with a swastika and antisemitic writing, police said.
A neighborhood canvass found additional graffiti on vehicles, fencing and street signs. Later that morning, officers found similar damage at the Mill Woods Park skate park, including skateboarding structures, picnic tables and an outbuilding. Police identified eight vandalized locations in Wethersfield and said four similar incidents were reported in neighboring Rocky Hill.
Detectives reviewed surveillance footage, interviewed witnesses, analyzed cellphone-location information and collected physical evidence, according to the release. Police said community members supplied information after footage was released, helping investigators identify the suspects.
The department charged each person with seven counts of third-degree intimidation based on bigotry or bias, one count of first-degree criminal mischief, seven counts of second-degree criminal mischief and three counts of desecration of property.
Chief Rafael Medina III said the hateful vandalism harmed residents’ sense of safety and thanked investigators and people who supplied information. These are police allegations, not findings of guilt; all defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
WFSB and CTPoliceLive also reported the arrests. This account was checked against both text pages of the department’s original public release. No bond, court date, plea or subsequent case outcome was established in the material reviewed.