'Drunken prank' leads to charges against teens

The destruction of two flags at a Beach Park church was not a statement of malice against the church or the flags, officials said Friday.

It was instead, according to Lake County Assistant State's Attorney Jim Newman, "a drunken prank" that nonetheless resulted in the filing of some serious criminal charges.

Kevin Gieseking, 19, of Beach Park and Joseph Mitchell, 17, of Waukegan, are charged with criminal damage to church-supported property. They face up to five years in prison if convicted.

Lake County Sheriff's Sgt. Christopher Thompson said a tip to Lake County Crime Stoppers led police to the pair, who were charged Thursday.

Mitchell was released from custody Thursday night after posting $10,000 for bond. Gieseking surrendered Friday morning and appeared in bond court.

During a hearing there, Newman told Associate Judge Wallace Dunn that Gieseking told police he and Mitchell were drinking beer in the area of the Beach Community Church, 37285 N. Greenbay Road, on the night of Aug. 4.

The two set fire to the ropes holding an American flag and a Christian flag to their respective poles, causing the flags to fall to the ground. The pair ripped the flags apart when they failed to burn completely.

"They were not making any kind of a statement," Newman said. "It was a simple drunken prank."

Church Pastor Harold Brown said a community member donated new flags a couple of days after the incident, and expressed forgiveness toward the suspects.

"I feel sorry for those boys and I certainly hope nothing too bad happens to them because of this," Brown said. "Kids sometimes do stupid things."

At Newman's request, Dunn reduced Gieseking's bond to $5,000 from the $100,000 called for in the arrest warrants for both suspects.

Gieseking was released from jail after posting $500 for bond. He and Mitchell are both due in court Sept. 5.