Charges describe man accused of vandalizing Mike Kelly’s Hermitage office
The Sharon man charged with vandalizing U.S. Rep. Mike Kelly’s newest office quickly admitted to the act and handed over related materials before questioning, police said.
Joe Monte Lemons, 46, was charged Monday, July 28, by Hermitage City police with one misdemeanor count each of criminal mischief and harassment following the Friday, July 25, incident where fliers held by blue painter’s tape were hung and red paint posted messages associating the GOP with rape, racism and cover-ups were placed on the exterior of Kelly’s Hermitage office.
The Hermitage police are also in contact with Pennsylvania Capitol Police and the Mercer County District Attorney’s Office regarding the investigation, according to Hermitage police Chief Adam Piccirillo.
“Final determination on criminal charges and primary prosecutorial jurisdiction is pending further consultation with Pennsylvania Capitol Police and the Mercer County District Attorney’s Office,” Piccirillo said in a Tuesday statement. “Once this determination is made, charges may be amended as necessary.”
Police said they responded Friday to Kelly’s office at 3877 E. State St. and spoke with the manager of a nearby business who reported the vandalism. Police said they arrived at the office to find the windows covered in fliers and red paint.
Other statements in red paint read “mental illness is not a crime.” Another message referred to women carrying pregnancies after rape and had images of individuals affiliated with the Republican Party, accusing them of child sex crimes.
Police spoke with the nearby business manager who said he saw a man wearing all black clothing near the building. He said it looked like the man was cleaning the windows because he had what appeared to be a window squeegee.
The man told police he eventually realized the act was vandalism and contacted the plaza’s property manager.
The next day, police responded to an area Applebee’s to follow up on reports the alleged vandal was an employee at the restaurant. Police arrived at the restaurant and found his Jeep Cherokee outside with both front windows down.
Police viewed a black baseball cap in the car with lettering that read “Antifa,” and a white step stool and bottle of red paint in the back seat. Police said while waiting for backup, Lemons exited the restaurant and went to his vehicle.
Lemons and the responding police officer made conversation until Lemons reportedly asked if the officer’s presence was about the vandalism. Police said Lemons immediately admitted to the vandalism and said he did not leave any threatening messages and he used paint that would come off with warm, soapy water.
Lemons then removed all the materials he allegedly used for the act out of his vehicle, including a copy of a flier police took down from the building. Lemons told police the vandalism occurred around 8:40 p.m.
Police said the cost to have the windows cleaned was $250.
The Hermitage office opened in mid-June as Kelly’s team moved from the office’s location in Sharon for improved accessibility.
“Moving our Sharon office to Hermitage allows us to better serve our constituents by offering enhanced accessibility, more parking and improved meeting space,” Kelly said in a June 16 news release. “No one should have to travel far to get the help they need with a federal agency, and my team and I are committed to keeping this promise.”
Kelly said in a statement released Saturday local law enforcement and U.S. Capitol Police were investigating the incident and no staff members were in the office at the time of the incident.
“Let’s be clear: political violence and vandalism are never acceptable,” Kelly said.
The vandalism came the same day the House Ethics Committee issued a report saying Kelly violated the House of Representatives’ code of official conduct related to his wife’s investment in Cleveland-Cliffs. The report found his wife, Victoria Kelly, profited off Cleveland-Cliffs stock trades following an April 2020 purchase, but Kelly was not accused of having a conflict of interest with his wife’s actions.
Kelly represents District 16 which includes Butler, Lawrence, Erie, Mercer and Crawford counties and parts of Venango County.
