Two Maryland women have been charged with a hate crime in connection with the burning of a Donald Trump presidential campaign sign, according to fire and police officials.
The State Fire Marshal’s Office said Monday that a second arrest was made in connection with the April 14 incident on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. The office has identified the suspect as Joy M. Shuford, 19, of Owings Mills, Md.
Shuford surrendered to authorities one day after the incident and faces multiple charges including second-degree arson, malicious destruction of property and the commission of a hate crime.
The second suspect has been identified as D’Asia R. Perry, 19, of Baltimore. Perry was found on the University of Maryland Eastern Shore campus and taken into custody. She faces 14 charges in connection with the incident including arson and commission of a hate crime, according to police.
Police also say Shuford and Perry set fire to the billboard because of political differences with the sign’s content. Each has been released on a $20,000 unsecured bond.
The sign was near a shopping center, and the fire spread to a nearby field, causing an estimated $800 in damage.
Investigators said they connected Perry and Shuford to a newer-model silver Volkswagen Beetle reportedly spotted near the crime scene.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.