EXCLUSIVE: Teens arrested in connection to vandalism at church

THE WOODLANDS (KTRK) -- Four teenagers were arrested early Friday morning on several counts of criminal mischief.

One of the locations allegedly targeted by the teens was Sawdust Road Baptist Church, which served as a shelter for families during the April floods. Pastor Leonard Zohn drove to church Friday morning to find the church sign defaced with black spray paint. Vandals painted an upside-down cross and wrote the word "Satan" on the sign.

"My heart sank, because I want people to know the truth. We as a church want people to know the truth. God loves them," said Zohn.

A few blocks away, the same vandals hit the Hunters Crossing neighborhood, according to the Montgomery County Sheriff's Office.

Vandals wrote a racial slur, profanity and the name Donald Trump on Dan Wheeler's garage door.

"I talked with the officers that were on the scene, and I discovered I had at least three areas of graffiti in black spray paint on my home, with vulgar words written on the home," said Wheeler. "I felt frustrated and a little violated."

Deputies said the four teenagers responsible stole the address sign from Wheeler's flower bed. Investigators found that in the back of the teens' car, which led them to all three vandalized homes in Hunters Crossing.

Pastor Zohn said he welcomes the teens back to his church, but without the spray paint.

"My hope is that I'll have an opportunity to sit down with these young adults and share with them the truth."