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Accused Fort Collins mosque vandal back in jail after failing to appear at first court hearing

Posted at 7:12 PM, Apr 04, 2017
and last updated 2017-04-04 21:12:06-04

FORT COLLINS, Colo. – The man accused of vandalizing the Islamic Center of Fort Collins last week was back in jail Tuesday after he failed to show up for his first court appearance in the vandalism case.

Joseph Giaquinto, 35, faces felony criminal mischief and bias-motivated crime charges in the March 26 vandalism, in which he is accused of breaking out windows and throwing a Bible into the mosque.

Giaquinto posted a $7,500 bond last Thursday and was released from the Larimer County jail, but failed to appear for his first court appearance Monday.

The Fort Collins Police Department told Denver7 its officers arrested Giaquinto at his home Tuesday afternoon. His $7,500 bond is now forfeited and he will remain jailed while his case goes through the court system.

Case documents show Giaquinto confessed to the vandalism at the mosque, which caused at least $3,000 in damage.

He spent eight years serving in the U.S. Army as a combat medic and recently worked as a janitor at Poudre High School. His father told Denver7 that Giaquinto suffered from PTSD while in the military.

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