Homeless Man Charged With Vandalizing Church

A homeless man is facing felony charges after deputies say he spray painted graffiti on an East Naples church.

Gregg A. Provenza, 44, was arrested Tuesday and charged with felony criminal mischief of a church.

CCSO arrest reports say Provenza spray painted graffiti on walls and doors outside St. Peter The Apostle Church, 5130 Rattlesnake Hammock Road. The church was vandalized sometime between 9:30 p.m. Monday and 6:30 a.m. Tuesday, reports said.

The words “Harlot Church” and biblical verses were spray painted on some of the walls and doors, reports said. The address of an Internet Web site was also spray painted on one of the walls, reports said.

Further investigation revealed the Web site was posted by Provenza and contained veiled threats to judges and law enforcement, reports said. Video clips on the Web site showed Provenza speaking about judges and law enforcement, reports said.

CCSO deputies located Provenza near St. Matthew’s House soup kitchen on Airport-Pulling Road. Provenza was wearing a shirt that contained biblical scripture on it. The Web address that was spray painted on the church was written on the bicycle he had with him, reports said.

Also Tuesday, Naples police charged Provenza with felonies in connection with two churches in the city that were reported to have been vandalized with graffiti, according to arrest reports.