Teenagers charged in flag-burning incident

Police charged two Springfield teens with misdemeanor offenses after the wife of a Vermont National Guardsman reported someone stole and burned an American flag from outside her home.

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Teenagers charged in flag-burning incident

Rutland Herald

By Cristina Kumka Staff Writer - Published: January 22, 2010

SPRINGFIELD — Police charged two Springfield teens with misdemeanor offenses after the wife of a Vermont National Guardsman reported someone stole and burned an American flag from outside her home.

Police said Devon Decinto, 18, of Springfield, was charged with possession of marijuana, contributing to a juvenile delinquency and unlawful mischief in connection with the theft of a flag from the front porch of the Park Street home at about 2 a.m. Wednesday, said Springfield Police Chief Doug Johnston.

Another 17-year-old Springfield teen was charged with unlawful mischief and petty larceny, Johnston said.

The teen's name was withheld by police because of his age.

Both teens are scheduled to appear in White River Junction District Court on March 23.

According to police, an on-duty officer found the teens behind the Park Street School in a parking lot, the burned flag lying in the snow.

The officer questioned the teens and, at first, the 17-year-old said it was his flag, Johnston said.

But, as the officer was driving the boy home, he admitted taking the flag from a house and burning it, according to police.

The boy said he did it because "he didn't like America," Johnston said, quoting from an incident report.

Police traced footprints back to the Park Street home and found two other flags on the porch left untouched — a prisoner-of-war flag and a Vermont state flag, Johnston said.

Johnston said he didn't know of any local, state or federal charges that could be levied against the teens for burning a flag other than unlawful mischief for damaging property not owned by them.

Homeowner Alysa Duncanson, the wife of Walter Duncanson, a National Guardsman in training for an upcoming deployment, said she was "appalled" that someone would steal her family's flag.

"The flag is different than stealing a chair," she said. "I'm angry … just the fact that they don't think it means something to someone else."

In an e-mail, Walter Duncanson wrote, "I have been to the Mideast four times since 2000. The flag means everything to my wife and kids. They respect the flag and everything it stands for."

"The flag will soon again fly proudly on our porch," he wrote.

Police declined to provide any contact information for Decinto Thursday and attempts to contact Decinto were unsuccessful.

A telephone listed for a Decinto household in Springfield has been disconnected.
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