Luther student enters written guilty plea in yard sign case

(decorahnews.com file photo)

A Luther College senior has entered a written guilty plea to a charge filed in connection with damages to a "Trump for President" yard sign on College Drive and Locust Road.

21-year-old Christian Erazo of Chicago has agreed to pay a fine of $135 plus court costs as a settlement of the 5th Degree Criminal Mischief charge filed against him.  He will return to court December 15th to formally accept the plea agreement.

A Decorah Police Department news release in October said they issued the Criminal Mischief charge against Erazo as the result of several tips they received while investigating the case.

The vandalism became an issue in the local political scene--Republicans added a message to the top of the Trump for President yard sign which read, "How tolerant Democrats respect your rights."  Local Democrats denied having anything to do with the vandalism--but the message remained in place through the election.