Church vandal gets honorable discharge from probation

Jonathon Walker, who admitted vandalizing six Carson Valley churches in 2006, received an honorable discharge from probation after a judge consolidated the charges into one gross misdemeanor.

"It looks at this point like he's done everything he was asked to do and more to correct the horrible wrongs done at those churches," Gibbons said.

Walker, now 22, and his juvenile co-defendants, inspired by the date June 6, 2006, (666) spray-painted obscenities and satanic references on six churches, flattened tires on church buses, and outraged the Carson Valley community.

"Honestly, I can't believe I did it. It was something very foolish," Walker said Monday. "In a way, it was a good thing it happened because I wouldn't have changed my life for the better or had any remorse for what I've done."

He performed 200 hours of community service, obtained a sponsor and attends weekly Alcoholics Anonymous meeings, sent apologies to the churches, and paid $7,094.52 restitution with the co-defendants.

Walker said he attends Trinity Lutheran Church, one of the vandalized churches, every week and has been forgiven by the congregation.

"A couple of people come up to me once a month at church and say they're proud of me and how I've changed. They've forgiven me for what I did to the church and the community," Walker said.

Walker said he was studying nursing at Western Nevada College and hoped to get into radiology school so he could become a radiology technician.

Walker was sentenced Sept. 25, 2006, to four years probation.

"The court finds you satisfied the conditions of your probation and can be honorably discharged at this time," Gibbons said.

At the end of the hearing, Walker embraced his father and his lawyer, Day Williams.