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With Donated Help, Sheriff Creel Ups Reward To $5,000 To Aid In KKK Graffiti Probe

Jennie Gutierrez
/
WCTV

Wakulla County Sheriff Charlie Creel has increased the reward to help get answers into a possible hate crime in Crawfordville.

On Monday, Creel announced his department is offering a $1,000 rewardfor any information the public can provide to make an arrest in the “KKK” graffiti that was sprayed at two predominately black churches and a box truck outside a country club over the weekend.

Now, he says thanks to the donations of two doctors in the community—David Bellamy and Hank Hutchinson—he can now up the reward to $5,000.

Some are drawing a link between this incident and the recent suspension of Wakulla deputies for posting what Creel calls “insensitive” comments on Facebook about protestors in Ferguson, Missouri. But, Creel says he thinks it’s just a couple of teenagers playing a prank.

Because this qualifies as a hate crime and comes with a felony charge, the FBI has been called into help investigate along with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.

For more news updates, follow Sascha Cordner on Twitter: @SaschaCordner.

Sascha Cordner has more than ten years of public radio experience. It includes working at NPR member station WUFT-FM in Gainesville for several years. She's worked in both radio and TV, serving in various capacities as a reporter, producer and anchor. She's also a graduate of the University of Florida with a bachelor's degree in telecommunications. She is the recipient of 15 awards from the Associated Press, Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ), and Edward R. Murrow. Her award-winning stories include her coverage on the infamous “Dozier School for Boys” and a feature titled "Male Breast Cancer: Lost in the Sea of Pink." Currently, Sascha serves as the host and producer of local and state news content for the afternoon news program "All Things Considered" at WFSU. Sascha primarily covers criminal justice and social services issues. When she's not reporting, Sascha likes catching up on her favorite TV shows, singing and reading. Follow Sascha Cordner on Twitter:@SaschaCordner.