WATERLOO — A Waterloo man has been charged with sending racially charged texts to the city’s Black mayor and a Black county supervisor.
Tyler Hunter Young, 43, is charged with two counts of misdemeanor harassment.
The texts targeting Mayor Quentin Hart and Black Hawk County Supervisor Tavis Hall came in late October and coincided with vandalism to their vehicles, although no charges have been filed in the vandalism.
According to court records, police were called to Hall’s home Oct. 17 for a report of damage to his vehicle, and Hall later received a text in the afternoon calling him a “pussy” and telling him to “go back to Africa with all the other gorillas.”
Hart’s vehicle was damaged Oct. 25, and he received a 4 a.m. text saying “trashy scum back black monkey,” according to court records.
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The messages came from different phone numbers, and detectives were able to trace the numbers back to Young, records state.
Police obtained an arrest warrant in December following the investigation, but Young apparently left Iowa. He was detained in March in the Las Vegas area, and he was returned to Waterloo on Thursday, according to police.
Young was released from jail after posting bond.
This isn’t the first time Young has been charged with using cellphones to harass someone.
In November 2016, he allegedly ordered pre-recorded comedic calls from ComedyCalls.com that were sent to his former boss, Dharmendra Patel. The calls woke the victim and his wife in the early morning hours, according to court records.
Young denied any involvement when police approached him, but officers subpoenaed the website and traced the order to his internet provider address, records state.
Young eventually pleaded to third-degree harassment and was ordered to pay $200 plus costs and surcharges. A five-year restraining order was also issued.