Arrest warrants issued for six defendants

Arrest warrants were issued this week for six defendants who failed to appear for court to face charges of breaking into and spray painting a Southeast Missouri State University fraternity house.

On Tuesday, Steven Taylor, 20, and Nathaniel W. Mathes, 19, pleaded guilty to misdemeanor trespassing for the Oct. 24 incident in which the Pi Kappa Alpha house was broken into and profanity and lewd drawings were sprayed on the walls.

In exchange for the plea, prosecutors dropped a property damage charge, according to assistant prosecuting attorney Brent Nelson. Because they served at least 20 hours community service through the university, the judge only imposed a $50 fine, Nelson said.

Six of Taylor and Mathes' co-defendants failed to appear for the hearing, and Associate Circuit Judge Scott E. Thomsen issued a $2,000 warrant for each of their arrests, Nelson said.

The men's attorney, Ken McManaman, could not be reached for comment Thursday night.

The spray painting was an alleged retaliation for Pi Kappa Alpha members stealing a fraternity mascot, a goat, from the Sigma Chi lodge on Oct. 21.