A town justice on Nov. 6 sentenced Deerpark resident Kenneth Porada to two years of probation for throwing screws onto the driveways of people associated with Dragon Springs.
Per an order of protection issued by the court, Porada has been ordered to stay away from the Dragon Springs campus—except when he drives past it on his way to and from his residence—and he is prohibited from harassing or threatening anyone associated with it.
He cannot film, photograph, or record residents on the campus or communicate with them through mail, telephone, email, or other electronic means, the justice said.
At the sentencing hearing, Judge Michael Worden said he saw a concerning escalation of behavior in Porada, and that though Porada’s actions resulted in no injuries, worse things could have happened.
Between March 31 and May 25, 2023, Porada engaged in a practice of throwing screws onto the driveways of people associated with Dragon Springs with the intent of causing property damage, according to a plea agreement between the defendant and prosecutors.
Porada admitted in his plea that he intentionally singled out individuals based on his knowledge of their association with Dragon Springs and that he knew they practiced Falun Gong, a spiritual practice that is targeted for brutal persecution by the Chinese communist regime.
Dragon Springs is a 400-acre campus that hosts a Buddhist-style temple, an academy and college, and the global rehearsal center for Shen Yun Performing Arts, according to its website.
It is also home to people who practice Falun Gong, a spiritual discipline that combines gentle exercises with moral teachings based on the principles of truthfulness, compassion, and tolerance.
Per the plea agreement, Porada admitted to a total of 16 incidents last spring in which he threw screws onto the driveways of a dozen properties on Galley Hill Road and Guymard Turnpike, including outside the south and north gates of the Dragon Springs campus.
In several instances, his actions caused property damage as intended.
On May 24, 2023, Porada was charged with three counts of misdemeanor charges in criminal tampering, attempted criminal mischief, and disorderly conduct, according to the complaint.
About a year later, on May 31, 2024, he pleaded guilty to one count of criminal mischief in the fourth degree, and the other two charges were subsequently dismissed by prosecutors.
Orange County assistant district attorney Christopher Jones recommended three years of probation for Porada, whereas defense attorney Ellissa Killian argued for conditional release, saying that his client didn’t mean to hurt anyone and has no prior criminal record.
Porada remained silent during the sentencing hearing.
As part of the order of protection, he also must surrender all pistols, revolvers, rifles, and weapons to the town of Deerpark the day after the sentencing.
The protection order is effective for three years and may be extended.
“For years, the defendant has harassed Dragon Springs staff and students, culminating in this latest act, which could have caused physical harm, including to buses carrying students,” said George Xu, president of Dragon Springs.
“With this protective order, we hope to put an end to that harassment and the fear that it perpetuated.”
Porada was also fined $550 at the hearing.
