SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — A man faces criminal charges in connection to the black swastikas painted on sidewalks and walls in the Indian Bend Wash Greenbelt near McCormick Ranch in Scottsdale last month.
Detectives said they suspected Rick Sagaser – who was arrested for aggravated assault on another homeless person – was behind the graffiti when they found a large black Sharpie in his backpack.
During a jail interview, Sagaser admitted to painting the graffiti in five cases, according to police.
Police said in a probable cause statement that Sagaser painted iron crosses, SS bolts and other symbols and phrases associated with white supremacist ideologies in addition to the swastikas.
He reportedly told police he had a past association with the Aryan Brotherhood prison gang.
But Sagaser said Aryan Brotherhood members are trying to kill him because he testified against two of them in separate murder trials several years ago, police said in the probable cause statement.
Police said he used the graffiti as protection from being attacked by other homeless people.
Sagaser is facing five counts of criminal damage and five counts of assisting a criminal street gang.
