DETROIT – A Michigan man will serve one year in prison for spray-painting racist graffiti on a predominantly Black church, officials announced on Wednesday.
David Bluer, 34, was sentenced to 12 months in prison on one count of damaging religious property, according to a news release from the United States Attorney’s Office Eastern District of Michigan.
Officials said Bluer pleaded guilty to the charge on Dec. 3, 2024 after he admitted to spray-painting the racist graffiti on the church in October 2021, as well targeting the church in Roseville because it had a Black pastor and the congregation was mostly Black.
Bluer also spray-painted swastikas and racial slurs on the public bathroom of Trombly Park in Warren, which included the statement “DaviD KiLLS N——,” according to the news release.
Per the Detroit Free Press, federal prosecutors wrote in their sentencing memo that Bluer planned and led the vandalism at the church. He also recruited two accomplices, who were 19 and 12 years old at the time “to go on a drive with him, without providing a reason.” When they arrived, “Bluer spray-painted racist graffiti on the exterior walls of the church and directed the two other individuals to do the same.” The three then traveled to the park and spray-painted the public restroom building with multiple swastikas, the initials “JDS,” and the words “white power,” “666,” “Kill Jews,” “KKK,” “n—–,” and “DaviD KiLLS N——.”
“The defendant’s attack, motivated by race and color, instilled fear in not only the mostly Black congregants of the church, but damaged the entire community’s sense of safety. Our office will always vigorously prosecute those who commit unlawful bias-motivated acts and seek justice for the victims,” Acting U.S. Attorney Beck said.
More on the sentencing and case in Michigan.
