Man placed on probation for trespassing at church

Cole County Associate Circuit Judge Tom Sodergren recently placed a Jefferson City man on two years unsupervised probation for pleading guilty to misdemeanor trespassing charges in connection with illegally going on the premises of local churches last year.

Bryant Henry Diaz, 53, 624 E. McCarty St., must also complete 80 hours of community service by May 10 and must not have any contact with any of his victims and also must not enter on their premises.

According to court documents, Diaz knowingly entered and remained unlawfully upon school property at St. Joseph Catholic School on Sept. 29.

According to a police-probable cause statement, St. Joseph Principal Spencer Allen requested in an e-mail before Sept. 29 that Diaz no longer come to the school. Diaz responded by calling Allen on his home phone which led Allen to request in another e-mail that Diaz refrain from contacting him. Diaz replied in disapproval of his request and on Sept. 29 went to the school in an attempt to contact Allen.

School officials said students were never in any harm due to the magnetic locks on all the school doors. But when Diaz came back on Sept. 29, school officials decided the lockdown was the safest option.

Police said Diaz had also caused problems at other churches and schools in the area.

He was charged with trespassing on Seventh Day Adventist Church property in July and on the grounds of Immaculate Conception School on Sept. 8.