Adolfo Martinez, 30, of Ames last month was found guilty of a hate crime – a class"D" felony – third-degree harassment and reckless use of fire. Police said he stole a pride banner hanging at Ames United Church of Christ and burned it early June 11 outside the Dangerous Curves Gentleman’s Club.
Martinez admitted to police that he lit the banner on fire using lighter fluid and a lighter after stealing it from the church, according to court documents. Story County Attorney Jessica Reynolds said hate crime charges were added because Martinez is suspected of criminal mischief against someone's property because of"what it represents as far as sexual orientation."Martinez was sentenced Wednesday to 15 years for the hate crime of arson, as well as a year for the reckless use of explosives or fire, and 30 days for harassment.
RIDICULOUS!!!!
This guy is a disgusting human, and should be prosecuted for destruction of property. But thought crimes should NOT exist in America. 16 years? This is why I oppose hate crime laws.
A good attorney should be able to get him off the hook.
Sixteen years? You've got to be kidding me.....
I wonder what he would have gotten if he burned the American Flag?
While that was completely illegible and wrong, we all know the real reason this guy was sentenced to 15 years and it has nothing to do with the LGBTQ community. Iowans know why!
So... he shouldn’t had done that. But if we are going to punish him like that, then burning the American flag should be a death sentence while we are at it?
Ok...say what you want. Actually we are just getting started with this stuff. 😥
You done messed with tha wrong group mista..?!? Goin to get it.. no mercy.. no respect.. take all your pride.. 😩.. And your heart, down to the bone..?!! 🐴
Outrageous. Hate laws are out of control and need to go.
Ooh so serious!
Unbelievable ! I bet if somebody did that to an American flag these days nothing would happen !!!!! So sad
People should get 15 years in prison for displaying the Confederate flag; it is a hate crime against African-Americans and intelligence.
Probably a lot less for burning the American flag. That’s insane.
On another feed it said 15 years? Confused
But setting the American Flag on fire is okay 🇺🇸 and not considered a hate crime against America
If it had been American flag he burn nobody would have said a damn thing.
Then all flags should be illegal to burn like for real. Y’all need to quit disrespecting all flags weather it be the American flag or the pride flag if you don’t like it then no one cares
But we can burn an American flag? Hypocrisy Other than feelings, was anyone physically hurt to deserve 16 years of jail time? This on top of the fact that people with illegal narcotics are bing set free? LGBTQ is your choice, you have that right. It’s ok to be straight too!
Insane! This sentence makes no sense. Recently a woman received a 4 year sentence for killing 3 people. How is our justice system just?
Guess he never thought about being raped by other men...
He’s an asshole but 16 years seems excessive
MWAHAHA80 Here u go again. Still fake
A banner!
That’s so stupid and crazy for burning a flag he gets 16years!!!!!!! That’s messed up
Doesn’t sound right ....
A little over the top don't ya think? Murderers get less. pathetic
These farmers deserve 16+ yrs in prison
Not the hero we need but the hero we deserve
FreeAdolfoMartinez
Appeal
Not good to do but 16 years? More than a rapist? Cmon now.
16 years? That’s excessive. Especially when pedophilrs get pardon
He posed no harm on a human being and gets 16 years but that idiot who ran over and killed 3 children getting on a school but gets no prison time. Seriously, this guy was being racially profiled. Tragic
When they burn the American flag it’s free speech tho. Country is insane. All due respect to LGBT community but come on.
So let me get this straight, it’s okay to burn the American flag, but you get prison time for burning a ‘gay’ flag? 🤦🏻♀️
Ridiculous got people getting less time for murder!
POTUS fix this. Should not be getting this kind of sentence.
I’m a mod Dem & a somewhat-liberal, but this is nuts. Freedom of speech is guaranteed under the constitution, & encompasses nearly all political symbols; which, since it’s taken political acts 2 recognize gay rights, their flag falls under. At best it’s destruction of property
16 years? This should’ve been a misdemeanor at the most with a small fine
Wow this is ridiculous.
A bit severe sentence considering no one was physically hurt nor killed.
Then everyone that burned the American flag should get life
WTF 16 years😖
But if 4 cops shoot 51 times at a black guy with a wallet in his hands they get 3 weeks paid vacation..... I mean administrative leave.
Appeal coming in 3.... 2.... 1....
Lunacy
Seriously? And they wonder why the prisons are over crowded
Wrong! 16 years? Excessive much?
This is a clear and obvious violation of the first amendment. Arson charge? For burning a flag? If this stands, I guess we're wrong when we tell Trump he can't make it illegal to burn the American flag.
There have been rapists that have been given shorter sentences than this! People who burn the American flag out of hate [ie--hate crime] are given NO time. This is ridiculous.
Then burning the American Flag should get you the death penalty. I guarantee the judge was a 'woke' leftist trying to appeal to the outrage mob.
A bit much
Is it not excessive punishment? Just saying
I’m all for equal, but this is way excessive. A year would have been too much
But not charge a white guy with one, that stabbed a AA, 1LT Active Duty soldier on College Campus! Cult45
That’s insane. Burning a flag shouldn’t send u to prison.
16 years for burning a flag. That's insane.
When you condition people to believe that a flag is “just a piece of cloth” this is a completely inappropriate sentence AND a complete violation of this persons first amendment rights. It’s just a piece of cloth. What’s the big deal?
This is what happens when you for liberals into office. If you don’t like this then be a conservative and vote Republican
Do you think it would be a suspended sentence if he were white?
Wow. Long time. Appeal?
He was charged and convicted for 4 crimes (a hate crime, arson charge and two other charges) for a total of 16 yrs. Court records list him as a habitual offender, allowing him to be sentenced to a longer prison term.
I'm an ally of the LGBTQ community and always have been - this, however, is infringing on his FirstAmendment right to FreeSpeech and expression.
16 years!! Nuts!! Hit him where it hurts, in the pocketbook, and have the funds go to the group he “hated”. PrisonTimeIsExcessive FundTheVictim
When you want to be opinionated but now you have to “Tread” softly cause people are really out here getting 16 years. I wonder what the book calls for “lesser crimes”
Ridiculously excessive. He burned a flag not a person. And I love America’s diversity.
This is fake
Burning theb USA is freedom is speech but burning the LGBTQ flag is a hate crime. Welcome to socialist USA
Wtf? Really? Without knowing the details of this case...I can tell something is definitely wrong here
Saying that he abides by God's laws is a ridiculous excuse to justify his crime.That's just making others believe that faith is filled with propaganda hate for 'different' people.
Off to the reeducation camps with him! ... Unless that isn't his preferred pronoun.
CallMeJillie Not as succinct as the headline indicates. “Prior to his final sentencing Martinez gave an impact statement and indicated that he would never stop and was “living by God’s laws,” , so he had made arson and Hate a lifestyle choice.
A hate crime burning a flag ok what about the hate in this country that has been going on for hundreds of years against people of color why are these hate groups not locked up
Enter(the minority report). These judges are whackadoos ! If you think it deserves 16 years of a mans life,so are you.
This is the problem with “hate” crimes. It’s either a crime or it’s not. Who gets to decide the hate part? Why are some people given unequal protections?
latimes
rolandsmartin
InsideEdition
washingtonpost
This sounds excessive, but at least this sentence can be used as a precedent for any type of stealing, and/or burning, of someone’s expression of belief. There are few true liberties each one of us are granted and one of the most important ones is expression of belief and idea.
What’s the penalty for burning an American flag? Death? Should be if your handing down 15 yrs for burning rainbows
I’m gay and this is too much. Way too much!!
This won’t hold up.
16 fucking years? This shit is ridiculous.. it’s some North Korea style
That’s insane.
A white lady just killed 3 kids and only got 4 yrs. The system is completely broken.
👉🏿👉🏾👉🏽👉🏼👉🏻 Martinez
Must be the last name.
16 years? What he did was wrong, and he should have gotten something out of it, but this is a little extreme. It'll just give him 16 years to sit in prison and let the hate fester...
Admittedly 16 years seems steep at face value. But his goose was cooked when he said he’d never stop. I suspect God will be with him in the slammer.
He shouldn't have stolen others' property to burn. If he wanted to burn a pride flag, he should have bought his own and then burned it in front of the church with proper protest authorization. Still, 16 years - there are murderers who don't get that much time. Ridiculous.
16 freaking years? This guy doesn’t need prison, he needs mental help!
A then you wonder why people hate the alphabet community smh
And yet no punishment for burning American flags
The system is so messed up...
There's a special place in hell for maggots like him.
Huh 🤔
But you can take an American flag, burn it, and be praised for it
16 years seems extreme.
Wow a women killed 3 kids on school zone and only got 4 years in prison and this person burned a flag and gets 16 years ! There is definitely something wrong in the system !
16 years?! For burning a flag lol.. y’all muh fuggas is crazy.. hr should do time.. but 16 yrs.. cmon sonnnn
I'm all for punishing hate, but 16 years?
16 years is a little much. What if you burn the American Flag?
Gays rights/pride is getting ridiculous. You cornhole, and flapjack, we get it. Doesn't make you above everyone else. You can kneel to, and burn an American flag. And that's fine, but it's forbidden to show dislike for a sexual orientation banner?
Why is burning the American flag considered “free speech” but burning a pride flag considered a “hate crime”? Libs have been telling me for years that “it’s just a piece of cloth”.
This can’t be all to the story , 16 years ..
Wait..not that i agree with what he did at all... but he got more time than the cop who shot a man in his own home...
Wtf
He burned a church..
This is bullshit
KimKardashian please help this man. This is ridiculous.
16 years !!!!
What about the first amendment?
What would happen if it was an American Flag ,,,, free speech
Yet people can burn the American flag what a stupid society we have created. Send this to the Supreme Court!
Why 16 years when burning the American flag is allowable under the 1st Amendment? Surey the point could have been made with far less punitive return.
So you can be sent to prison for burning an LGBTQ flag but not the American flag? Aren't both free speech?
Everyone criticizing the sentence...look into the facts a bit more. This guy showed zero remorse and admitted he’d “never stop”...he’s the next mass shooter to “cleanse the World”. He’s where he needs to be!
Miscarriage of Justice.....so wrong......since when does vandalism put someone in prison for 16 years? Wow! Unbelievable! Stealing and/or destroying any organization’s flag is definitely wrong.....but labeling it a hate crime and sentencing him to 16 years is excessive.
loryleigh5 This has got to be fake news or more behind it
.... but burning the American flag is ok
So, it is ok to burn an American Flag but not LGTB flag? Is it ok to hate America? How come one act is protected by First Amendment, but the other not?
I wonder if he would get a probation had he been White
Good..... People who commit hate crimes should be punished Not to mention the part where he stole property,but yall gloss over that part
16 years?! Isn’t that a bit excessive for only burning a flag
Sadly I assume if he burned an American flag he’d be a hero by many.
Meanwhile Tekashi69 got 2 years for attempted murder.
Ok, he deserves some kind of punishment, but 16 years? I'm sure he an asshole but this seems like overkill.
CuomoCorruption He would be free to go in NY with it's crazy new bail reform
Wow. That’s just crazy and pathetic. 16 years
That seems harsh for burning a flag
What 16yrs for burning a flag
Seems kinda extreme considering nobody was hurt.
Flag had no bearing on his life until he ripped it down.. People make strange decisions
What about people that burn the American flag then? That should also be a hate crime!!
But it is “free speech” and “freedom of expression” if you burn the US flag? How is it not a hate crime on that side of the coin? Hypocritical to the extreme.
What a f ing joke
But its ok for antifas to burn American flag? Where are we?
So it's ok to burn the USA flag tho? This seems confusing
Just like burning the National flag, it’s a statement.. Why is one a hate crime and the other freedom of speech?
I wouldn’t call this a church if they were flying this flag!
That sentence is way too excessive. Where’s the common sense with these judges... idiots
My friend said the judge was probably gay because you get not time for burning the American flag
16 years? a disgraceful justice for burning a piece of garment. 6 months in prison is too much for the minor crime he committed. But the guy has good last name that made it easy for the judges.
Lgbqt is not a nation but yet people get fined thousands of dollars for posting the American flag at their front door...Something is wrong here.
Avg inmate cost tax payers 42K a year. 42Kx16=$672,000. Hmmmm.....
You know this country has gone mad when a flag that represents sexual orientation gets you more time then actual crimes. Unreal.
And was giving 16 years in prison. Such bullshit
Neanderthal
This cannot be factual?
Wow! What he did was wrong, unethical, ignorant, & leads me to believe that he has severe latent homosexual urges that he struggles with, but 16 years for stealing a pride flag & burning it is pretty extreme when pedophiles, rapists, & animal abusers get less time. Go figure!
Lol. This will get knocked down on appeal.
And for burning US flag.. you get no punishment. Wondering what kind of law applies here?
16 years for burning a flag? Dafuq theres rapist and robbers that get less than this
16 years? Cruel and unusual punishment. You burn an American Flag, you get praise for being a patriot by the Media.
Nothing for burning the American flag but 16 years for the “pretty” rainbow flag That judge should be tossed along with the guys sentence
And yet antifa can burn American flags with impunity.
16 years?! People don’t even get time for burning the US flag!!! Rapists don’t get that kind of time...WTF?! Talk about an inequality in the justice system... 🤦🏻♀️🤦🏻♀️🤦🏻♀️
What a railroading he got. So it's a one-sided world here in the good ol USA,eh? Sad day for civil rights. All hail the 'special people'.
What a joke but Imbeciles can burn OUR US FLAG and walk away CHARGEFREE?
You've got to be kidding.
That beard is a Hate Crime.
This is insane
We need a list of which flags are ok to burn and which are not.
16 years?! Isn’t that a little excessive?
16 years?!?
He should have just murdered that Mr. Banner and took a plea for 7 to 10 years. Arson is a serious felony.
16 years for burning a flag? People get less time for armed robbery, rape and murder. Overkill on the sentence
Absolute insanity. If this doesn’t send a chill down your spine you obviously don’t value your civil liberties. You can burn an American flag and face little or no penalty but touch the alphabet people flag and you face over a decade in prison.
16 years for burning an LGBTQ flag. What ? Where is the victim ?
What the hell is that?
Cops murder people and get less.
Bet he's regretting that move right about now.
What the fk?
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