Two 18-year-olds from Thousand Oaks and Simi Valley face felony vandalism and hate crime charges in a recent incident that shook the community. The Ventura County Sheriff's Office reported that the young men were caught on surveillance footage defacing the walls of a commercial building with "explicit hate speech and symbolism."
Following the report of vandalism, the Thousand Oaks Patrol deputies initiated an investigation that led to the quick identification of the vehicle associated with the crime, and consequently, the two alleged perpetrators: Johann Bernhardt Patrick of Thousand Oaks, and Matthew Rakowski of Simi Valley. According to a media release by the Ventura County Sheriff's Office, Patrick was apprehended first, with authorities executing a search warrant at his home that unearthed further evidence connecting him to the crime. Rakowski was taken into custody on the following day in Simi Valley, where additional evidence was located further implicating him in the incident.
Both teens were booked on multiple charges including felony vandalism, violation of civil rights, and conspiracy to commit a crime, and are being held at the Pre-Trial Detention Facility in Ventura. As detailed by KTLA, Rakowski managed to bail out shortly after booking and is set to appear in court on Oct. 30, while Patrick remains in jail with his court date scheduled for Oct. 28.
