Photo credit: Ethan Duran
Vaun Mayes, who has organized peaceful protest marches in Milwaukee since May 29, was released from the Milwaukee County Jail on Tuesday, June 30. Mayes was arrested on Monday for his involvement in a fire that destroyed a suspected child sex trafficking house on June 23. Mayes’ arrest was livestreamed by Frank Sensabaugh, also known as Frank Nitty.
On Monday evening, the Milwaukee Police Department tweeted that a community activist was arrested “for a felony charge related to his alleged involvement in criminal activity… on the 2100 block of N 40th St.” Mayes’ name was not mentioned in the statement.
The charges against Mayes for burglary as party to a crime and criminal trespass were presented to the Milwaukee County District Attorney’s Office. The office decided to pend the charges for additional review, and he was released to a flood of news cameras and rejoicing community members.
“They [the police] didn’t tell me nothin’,” Mayes said outside, denying he did anything illegal at the house near North 40th Street. He said he wasn’t sure what he was being charged with when he was first arrested, and that he wasn’t told about the burglary charge until he arrived at the county jail. “I put out several fires before the big fire happened, but criminal, absolutely not. They would have to explain why they had to give me that [charge.]”
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Earlier, the Community Task Force held a press conference outside of the county jail. Nitty and over 100 other people set up a makeshift campground on the front lawn, including tents, food, music and a bouncy castle. Nitty said that he tried to pay for Mayes’ bail before his release, but it was delayed. He said the group wouldn’t leave until Mayes was released.
Photo credit: Ethan Duran
Person of Interest
In 2016, federal agents accused Mayes of conspiring to burn down a police station during the Sherman Park unrest. Agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives identified him as a “person of interest” regarding Molotov cocktails found in a Sherman Park dumpster that year. Mayes is still awaiting trial for this separate case.
Frank Nitty said that Mayes never entered the residence on North 40th. “He stepped a foot on the porch, and that was it,” Nitty said. On Tuesday, June 23, a crowd of people near Washington Park believed two teenage girls missing since that prior Sunday were inside of a house near North 40th Street and West Lloyd Street. People tried to enter the house before being driven away by the Milwaukee Police Department. After the police left, a fire broke out and gutted the house and a van parked outside.
The incident was not connected to protests evoked after George Floyd’s death.
At a separate press conference that day, Mayor Tom Barrett declined to comment on Vaun Mayes’ arrest, said that he didn’t know what it was about and that he was getting more information from the police department.
After Mayes was released, Nitty said his plan was to enjoy the rest of the day. The protest and demands for freedom turned into a celebration event that was already set with catering and entertainment.
For more of our coverage of the protests occurring across Milwaukee, click here.
To read more stories by Ethan Duran, click here.
