Man accused of QAnon vandalism at ‘America’s Stonehenge’

SALEM, N.H. — Police have made an arrest following a 15-month-long investigation into vandalism at a group of rock configurations in New Hampshire called “America’s Stonehenge.”

Mark Russo, 51, of Swedesboro, New Jersey, has been charged with one count of felony criminal mischief, accused of defacing the stone in Salem in September 2019. A lawyer entered a not guilty plea on his behalf Tuesday.

Police said the rock tablet appeared to have been damaged by a power tool. It was carved with “WWG1WGA” and “IAMMARK.” Police said the first stands for “Where We Go One, We Go All,” a motto affiliated with the QAnon conspiracy theory.

An 18-inch (45-centimetre) tall wooden cross was found suspended between two trees, and attached to the cross were several photographs and hand-drawn images.

Police arrested Russo after finding images of the stone and Russo online and linking to him an “iammark” Twitter account with a reference to “a few improvements” made to the site. Images on the cross also were linked to Russo.

Bail was set at $3,000 cash for Russo, who is scheduled for a hearing on April 21. An email seeking comment from Russo’s lawyer was sent Tuesday.

America’s Stonehenge, which features cave-like, granite enclosures, has drawn believers who say it’s 1,000 or more years old, and skeptics who say the evidence suggests it was the work of a 19th century shoemaker.

The Associated Press