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Tampa pair charged with cemetery vandalism

 
Published March 18, 1997|Updated Oct. 1, 2005

A 19-year-old Tampa man was charged late Sunday with vandalizing monuments at Calvary Catholic Cemetery on U.S. 19.

Paul Douglas Easter, of 3216 Vanburen Drive, Tampa, was charged with two counts of defacing a place of worship, defacing a religious article, criminal mischief and possession of marijuana.

Arrested with him was Angela M. Caterline, 17, of 4406 McCoy St., Tampa. She was charged with two counts of defacing a place of worship.

Sheriff's spokeswoman Marianne Pasha said several incidents of vandalism of monuments have been reported at the cemetery, 11801 U.S. 19, since January. A marble altar, statues and a sculptured crucifix with Christ on it were defaced Saturday and Sunday nights by someone who used black markers and spray paint to write graffiti and satanic slogans.

A cemetery employee called deputies late Sunday after seeing a suspicious car. Deputies found Easter in his Chevrolet Cavalier.