CONCORD – One of four young men accused of tattooing derogatory words and pictures across the buttocks of a 14-year-old Concord High School student said the matter was a "joke that went way too far."
Donald "DJ" Wyman, 20, said he's also talked to the victim and tried to tell him how sorry he was for the incident.
"At this point, I feel absolutely terrible about what was done," a soft-spoken, respectful Wyman said when reached by telephone at his parents' Deerfield home. "It was a joke that went way too far and ended terribly."
Yesterday, Concord police announced the arrest of the four on charges stemming from the incident. Police said the four enticed the boy to a Holt Street home to get tattooed, promising to no longer pick on him if he followed through with it.
"It's appalling, it really is," said Lt. Keith Mitchell. He said two derogatory words in large lettering along with a picture were tattooed on the boy's buttocks. "We are considering it a bullying incident," Mitchell said.
From left to right, Ryan Fisk, Travis Johnston, Blake Vannest and Donald Wyman.
Police made the arrests Wednesday and Thursday. They charged:
- Blake Vannest, 18, with two counts of simple assault, endangering the welfare of a minor, tattooing without a license, indecent exposure, criminal threatening and breach of bail.
- Ryan Fisk, 19, with two counts of simple assault, endangering the welfare of a minor, tattooing without a license, sale of a controlled drug, criminal threatening and breach of bail.
- Wyman with conspiracy to commit criminal liability for the conduct of another and conspiracy to endanger the welfare of a minor.
- Travis Johnston, 18, conspiracy to endanger the welfare of a minor.
A 15-year-old Concord boy will be charged at a later date in connection with the incident, police said.
Vannest and Fisk were being held at the Merrimack County House of Correction last night on $35,000 cash bail, police said. Wyman and Johnston were released on their own recognizance.
Investigators said Fisk is a former Concord High School student and the other three attend the school. Police said the incident took place late in the morning on May 10, a Monday.
Gene Connolly, principal of Concord High School, said the boy came to school the following day and teachers overheard students talking about the incident. They alerted the school resource officer. Concord school officials agreed not to take action against Vannest, Johnston or Wyman until police conducted an investigation.
They are now under a 10-day suspension, Connolly said. Anything longer must be brought before the school superintendent, which administrators intend to do, he said.
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