Police release video from hate flier arrest

SANDUSKY — Sandusky police released body-worn camera footage of the arrest of a man accused of leaving hate literature at several Sandusky homes. Austin J. Rogers, 22, 100 block Perry St., is charged with ethnic intimidation, a fifth-degree felony. He is also facing misdemeanor counts of menacing and littering. He is accused of leaving bags of rice with hate fliers in them at several houses on Curran and East Washington streets. The fliers had anti-LGBTQ+, anti-Semitic and racist messages. In the video released by police, detectives arrive at Rogers' residence. Rogers tells detectives he has just woken up and allows them into the apartment. Rogers moves to a couch and sits under a black flag with a white swastika on it. Detectives ask Rogers why he was leaving the bags in people's driveways and he responds, "flyering." He is heard saying that is not illegal. One of the detectives tells Rogers that it is illegal and had him stand to arrest him. After Rogers is in handcuffs, detectives begin seizing evidence including a large bag of rice and fliers apparently similar to those left at Sandusky residents' homes. Watch the full video on the Register's YouTube channel or at sanduskyregister.com.