Carson City teens appear on graffiti charges in Douglas

Two Carson City teenagers appeared in Juvenile Court on Tuesday to answer allegations they were responsible for graffiti throughout Carson Valley that advocated white supremacy and violence to Hispanics.

Matthew Cole Martin, 18, admitted defacing various locations, causing more than $5,000 damage.

Anthony Nicholson, 15, denied the petition charging him with the same offense.

"I tagged racial slurs on various walls and buildings," Martin told District Judge Dave Gamble.

Martin admitted painting swastikas, "white power," obscenities, racial slurs and pictures of Hispanics being hanged.

Gamble ordered him to repeat the obscenities in court.

"You painted it in the dark, you can say it out loud," Gamble said.

Martin explained that "14-88" espoused the philosophy of David Lane, an American white supremacist leader who died last year in prison where he was serving a 190-year sentence.

Martin said he was admitting the offense "to get it over with."

"Wrong answer," Gamble said. "You have been given a huge break by not being charged as an adult."

Prosecutor Justina Caviglia said Martin was charged as a juvenile because the offense occurred in March while he was 17.

"He sure is acting like an adult - an adult racist pig," Gamble said.

Martin said he was living at home with his parents and elderly grandmother.

Gamble set disposition for May 27.

The suspect could be placed on formal probation and confined to youth detention facilities at Elko or China Spring in Carson Valley.

He also faces a fine and one-year suspension or delay of his driver's license.

Nicholson denied the allegation. According to reports, the graffiti was discovered March 12-13 at several locations.

Deputies found graffiti on the north wall of the Carson Valley Museum and Cultural Center, the Old Gym Playhouse in front of Carson Valley Middle School, a shed behind One-way Autocare, facing Courthouse Alley, the Heritage Park pavilion floor, the Active 20-30 Clubhouse and a residence in the 1300 block of Toler Lane.

The same graffiti tag was found in Lampe Park and a residence in the 1400 block of Douglas Avenue.

Four areas were sprayed with black paint at Lampe Park with similar markings.

Three homes on Mica Drive in Indian Hills also were defaced.

The graffiti included a swastika, references to skinheads, neo-Nazis and Hitler youth as well as obscenities and anti-Hispanic slurs.