Posted on 03/22/2007 4:58:35 AM PDT by radar101
San Diego police served search warrants at the homes of San Diego Minutemen leader Jeff Schwilk and migrant camp critic Julie Adams on Wednesday morning as part of an ongoing criminal investigation into vandalism at migrant camps in Rancho Penasquitos in January, authorities said.
Vandals tore into the camps -- all in an area that has housed makeshift migrant encampments for decades -- during the weekend of Jan. 27 and 28, cutting and destroying clothing, sleeping bags, and other belongings, San Diego police spokeswoman Monica Munoz said.
The determination by police to serve search warrants to Schwilk and Adams was based on victim and witness statements, Munoz said. However, an investigation into the case is continuing and no suspects have been named, she said.
"Based on (what is found) today, this could provide a new direction to go in or information to make an arrest," though no arrests had been made by Wednesday, Munoz said.
At this point, police are not investigating the incident as a hate crime, Munoz said. However, "that could change depending on what comes up," she said.
Munoz also said she could not comment on the items seized from Adams' and Schwilk's homes.
Police seized a personal computer, video camera and videotape after serving a search warrant last month at the Chula Vista home of former Minutemen spokeswoman Christie Czajkowski, Munoz said.
In an affidavit filed with the Superior Court to obtain a search warrant for Czajkowski's home, Detective Patrick Lenhart alleged that between 1:30 p.m. and 3 p.m. Jan. 27, two women -- one identified later by a witness as Czajkowski -- and four men were seen leaving their cars and walking in the canyon areas where three encampments were vandalized.
One of the women was seen videotaping the others as they destroyed property at one of the camps, Lenhart wrote in the affidavit.
Adams, who lives near the camps, did not return a phone call seeking comment Wednesday, but said to the North County Times shortly after the vandalism that she had not heard about it.
"I don't think it's a good idea," she said then of the vandalism, "but I don't like what they (the people living in the camps) are doing, either."
Schwilk, of Oceanside, also could not be reached Wednesday, but told the North County Times on March 8 that he had nothing to do with the vandalism. He also said earlier this month that police know Minutemen go to the migrant camp areas often and were there the morning of Jan. 27, though they did not commit any of the alleged crimes.
One alleged victim identified Czajkowski in a photo lineup as part of the group he saw damaging his property, however Czajkowski said Wednesday that she was out of town at the time of the vandalism.
In response to allegations that Minutemen are responsible for the vandalism, she said, "there is no evidence to support that at all."
Furthermore, police have refused to investigate crimes against Minutemen, she said, adding that she believes the warrants are an effort by authorities to "cover up evidence."
Immigrant rights activist Claudia Smith said Tuesday that she welcomes "any step that brings law enforcement closer to resolving this case."
"The great concern about this has been that it's a very small step from the type of very disturbing slash job that was done to more than half a dozen encampments to something much uglier," she said. "It's very important that whoever did it (should) not get away with it."
Anyone with information on the vandalism is asked to call the San Diego Police Northeastern Division at (858) 538-8000 or Crime Stoppers at (888) 580-TIPS. Crime Stoppers offers up to a $1,000 reward for information leading to arrests and callers may remain anonymous
I'm sorry - but the law enforcement officials should be more worried about the illegal encampment of ILLEGAL INVADERS. If we want to talk about moral wrongs - then yes, those folks tearing up the camp were probably not acting in a very nice manner. BUT--
The FAR larger crime is that the illegals are known to be setting up and living in this illegal camp, and NOTHING has been done. Isn't that kind of like having sympathy for the Meth cookers when they burn their home down?
Making victims out of the real criminals - just like the norm in our society now...ugh!
Oh, something has been done. The school district had to buy specially equipped school buses to pick up their kids. The city/county makes sure their medical/dental/psychiatric needs are taken care of for free. And the local Catholic church arranges for hookers on Friday and Saturday nights. I used to live near the RP camp and it is a very well established community supported by the San Diego government. I used to talk to many of these migrants who were from all over the world, not just Mexico AND THEY LOVED IT GETTING SO MUCH for FREE. Funny how the guy who owns the land can not get the 'justice system' to evict these squatters but the California EPA can fine him for having sewage problems from the squatters.
Something has been done -- the taxpayers have been SCREWED. This is one of the reasons I am a former San Diegan and Catholic.
...that had been well-rehearsed in advance...
Sounds to me like someone's trying to frame the Minutemen. I gotta put my money on: NFW the Minutemen leaders, knowing what a microscope they're under, would be involved in this in any way.
What? Is Sutten asleep at the wheel? Letting local police handle this? I would think that he would really want to get a Minuteman.
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