SAN DIEGO (CNS) - A San Diego resident who allegedly vandalized several local places of worship, as well as a religious altar at a private residence, pleaded not guilty Thursday to felony and misdemeanor charges.
Erdem Onder, 47, is accused of spray-painting two churches and a synagogue with profane messages in January and February of this year.
The places of worship allegedly vandalized are University Christian Church in Hillcrest, St. Paul's Cathedral in Bankers Hill and Ohr Shalom Synagogue, also in Bankers Hill.
Onder is also accused of dousing a religious altar outside a person's home with alcohol and attempting to set the altar ablaze last December, but was unsuccessful, according to Deputy District Attorney Mei Owen. The prosecutor said Onder returned to the same home a month later and vandalized several religious statues at the residence.
Onder is accused of vandalizing both St. Paul's Cathedral and Ohr Shalom Synagogue on two separate occasions.
Owen said Onder faces up to 13 years in state prison if convicted of all charges, which include interference with civil rights, vandalism of religious property for intimidation, and arson.
The prosecutor did not say what led law enforcement to suspect Onder was responsible for the crimes, nor a motive for allegedly targeting those locations.
Onder was booked into county jail on Monday on $250,000 bail. A judge reduced the defendant's bail to $200,000 during Thursday's arraignment, but a bail review hearing was scheduled for later this month to revisit Onder's bail status.
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