Wyoming vandalism suspects in court

WYOMING, Mich. (WOOD) - Two men were arraigned Thursday on felony charges in connection with vandalism at two Wyoming schools early Tuesday morning, after investigators said one of the men confessed to his parents and then to police.

Barry Rich, 24, and Jeremy Kwekel, 23, both of Wyoming, are charged with breaking and entering and malicious destruction of a building at Newhall Middle School. Large glass doors at the school were smashed as were interor windows and cash registers.

Rich faces a second felony count of malicious destruction for the damage done when a car was rammed into four entrances at Wyoming Park High School.

Both men were once students at Park. Rich graduated in 2003. The school's 2002 yearbook shows Kwekel was a junior that year.

The high school's principal -- just six months into the job -- told 24 Hour News 8 his students are frustrated by the incident.

"These kids take great pride in their school and they were comin gup to me talking about how this was such a misrepresentation the park," Principal Brad Perkins said.

Investigators told a judge that Rich confessed his role in the crimes to his parents and came to the Wyoming Police Department to do the same. Rich told detectives he gave a hammer to Kwekel to smash the door windows at Newhall, investigators said. They told the judge car parts recovered from the scene appeared to match a red Jeep driven by Rich and the man captured on a security camera at Newhall appeared to be Kwekel.

Both men have records of similar crimes. A Michigan State Police background check on the men found Kwekel and Rich were both charged with felony breaking and entering as juveniles. Kwekel pleaded guilty as an adult to charges of felony damage to property.

Neither man was supposed to be driving, according to Secretary of State records obtained by 24 Hour News 8. Rich has multiple license suspensions that remain active due to unpaid driver responsibility fees. Kwekel's license is suspended until Jan. 18 due to an Operating While Intoxicated conviction.

Because of Kwekel's prior property damage conviction, the judge said Thursday he could be sentenced to as much as one-and-a-half times the normal sentences of 10 years for breaking and entering and five years for malicious destruction.

The judge set bond for the two at $15,000 and as of 6 p.m. Thursday, both remained in custody at the Kent County Jail.

They are set to appear again in court Jan. 28.