Plea deal reached in man's arrest for vandalizing Las Vegas political signs with swastikas

LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — The 73-year-old man accused of painting hate symbols on political signs across Clark County is expected to take a plea deal in his ongoing criminal case.

David Lawrence Smith was in court Monday morning for a preliminary hearing, which he waived.

Smith's attorney says he will enter an Alford plea for placement of graffiti as a gross misdemeanor. An Alford plea is a legal position in which the defendant doesn't admit guilt but acknowledges prosecutors likely have enough evidence to convict them.

Investigators with the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department previously identified Smith as the person responsible for painting swastikas on at least 60 political signs throughout Clark County.

According to documents obtained by Channel 13, Smith told police he "hates Gavin Newsom" and called the California governor "a Nazi that supports a follically challenged brown guy."

The signs, paid for by a political action committee that supports Gov. Joe Lombardo's reelection, depicted Newsom side-by-side with Attorney General Aaron Ford, Lombardo's Democratic opponent in the governor's race, with the words "Gavin Newsom endorses Aaron Ford."

Smith was arrested in August and had been released from jail after posting bail, which was later revoked by a judge when he did not show up for a scheduled court hearing.

Smith is expected to formally enter his Alford plea in and Eighth Judicial District Court hearing scheduled for Wednesday.