Portsmouth teenager sentenced in vandalism spree

CCNCORD - The Rockingham County Superior Court entered a consent decree resolving the allegations that a Portsmouth teenager violated the New Hampshire Civil Rights Act when he vandalized several LGBTQ and BLM flags and churches in Portsmouth in 2022 and 2023.

As a result of the consent decree, the parties acknowledged that across two occasions in April 2022 and one occasion on February 21, 2023, Loren Faulkner, who was 17 at the time of his arrest, committed 21 separate violations of the Civil Rights Act by damaging the property of another.

The acts of vandalism included destruction of rainbow LGBTQ+ Pride flags and other symbols of support for or solidarity with the LGBTQ+ community, spray painting swastikas and crosses on Temple Israel in Portsmouth, NH, spray painting Stars of David on St. John's Episcopal Church in Portsmouth, NH, defacing a Black Heritage Trail sign located at St. John's Episcopal Church in Portsmouth, and damaging or destroying signs and murals that expressed support for diversity and Black Lives Matter.

The court found that Faulkner's actions were motivated by hostility toward people because of their race, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, and gender identity. The court also found that Faulkner, through his actions, attempted to interfere or did interfere with the lawful activities of others including their ability to worship freely and engage in free speech or free expression.

The Attorney General's Office and Faulkner negotiated and agreed to the consent decree. As part of the consent decree's terms, the court ordered that Faulkner: (1) pay a civil penalty of $50,000 with all but $2,500 suspended for a period of three years conditioned upon his compliance with the terms of the consent decree; (2) undergo a behavior assessment; (3) participate in behavior or mental health counseling and comply with all recommendations; (4) enroll and participate in either an educational or vocational program or seek and maintain employment; and (5) complete 200 hours of community service work.

The court ordered that Faulkner is restrained, for a period of three years, from: (1) committing further Civil Rights Act violations; (2) coming within 250 feet of the locations that he had targeted or the owners, staff, congregants, and/or residents of those locations; and (3) contacting the locations he had previously targeted or the owners, staff, congregants, and/or residents of those locations. If Mr. Faulkner knowingly violates any of those conditions, he can face imposition of the suspended civil penalty and/or criminal charges.