Man Charged With Vandalizing Canton Church, Businesses

CANTON, GA — Canton police have made an arrest in connection to reports of several windows that were damaged due to rock throwing at a church and businesses along Marietta Road.

Officers responded around 7:15 a.m. Sunday, Jan. 20 to a call of damage at Action Church at 271 Marietta Road. Units arrived to investigate the report and soon found a male subject "hiding in some bales of straw across the street at another business, Canton police said.

This male, identified as Mateo Martinez, 29, was on the agency's radar because he was a person of interest in other alleged trespassing of businesses in the area, including the church, Canton police said.

After interviewing Martinez and following up with the investigation, the suspect was charged with two counts of vandalism to a place of worship, four counts of criminal damage to property and one count of criminal trespassing.

The investigation remains active, and Canton police said more details will be released when they become available.

Image via Shutterstock