SEDGWICK COUNTY —A Kansas man arrested in connection with church vandalism in Wichita was back in court for an arraignment hearing on Wednesday.
Michael Gonzalez, 23, from Saline County was arraigned on felony charges: of burglary and criminal desecration and two misdemeanor charges of theft and criminal damage to property, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney’s Office.
Just after 8:30a.m. March 15, police responded to a reported burglary at St. Patrick Catholic Church, located in the 2000 block of N. Arkansas Street in Wichita, according to Wichita Police spokesman Brad Wright.
Officers discovered significant vandalism, including hate speech and damage to items such as statues, candles, and glass. Notably, a United States flag had been burned.
Recognizing the severity of this crime, Wichita Police and investigators—alongside federal law enforcement partners including the FBI and ATF—immediately launched a full-scale investigation. The Wichita Police dedicated Crime Scene Investigation team worked diligently to analyze evidence, leading to the swift identification of a suspect.
Officers from the Wichita Police Field Community Response Teams were provided with critical intelligence and began searching for the suspect. At approximately 2:20 a.m. March 16, officers located and arrested Gonzalez in the 2800 block of N. Hillside in Wichita without incident.
Gonzalez remains jailed on a $500,000 bond and is due back in court July 25, according to the district attorney's office.