By John Asbury
The Press-Enterprise
HEMET, Calif. -- Two men charged last week with conspiracy to murder a police officer stalked a Hemet detective at his home and while he worked in an attempt to thwart him from testifying in one of the men’s drug trial, prosecutors say.
The Riverside County district attorney’s office filed charges against Nicholas Smit, 39, in connection with three of at least eight attacks on law enforcement or city property
since December. Steven Hansen, 36, who briefly rented a room from Smit, was also charged in one of the attacks.
“At last our long nightmare appears to be coming to a close,” Riverside County District Attorney Rod Pacheco said. “The attacks on Hemet are attacks on our society.”
Both men had contacts with white supremacist groups and the Vagos Motorcycle Club, Pacheco said, but prosecutors did not have enough evidence linking those groups to the attacks to
seek a gang enhancement.
Prosecutors said each attack targeted Hemet Detective Charles Johnson, who arrested Smit in June 2009 on five felony counts of cultivating marijuana. Each attack was carried out
on or near the days Smit was to appear in court on the drug charges.
Smit pleaded guilty to the drug charges last month. He was scheduled to be sentenced July 16 to up to three years in prison.
If convicted of the nine felony charges filed last week, he could face multiple life sentences.
The morning of March 5, as Johnson went to get coffee from a convenience store, he discovered a zip gun that prosecutors say Smit rigged to fire through the floorboards of
his unmarked police car. The gun fell off in the parking lot.
Smit is also charged with attaching a similar gun at the Hemet-San Jacinto Valley Gang Task Force building, where Johnson worked. In that Feb. 23 incident, the gun fired, barely
missing Sgt. Matt Hess.
Both Smit and Hansen were charged with conspiracy to commit murder and attempted murder of a police officer in a June 4 incident in which a World War II bazooka training rocket was
found on the roof of the Los Altos Market. Authorities said it was aimed at the Hemet Police Department.
Pacheco said Smit is suspected of orchestrating five other attacks, including rerouting a gas line into the gang task force building, but there was not enough evidence to prove
that at trial. He could be charged with additional counts later, Pacheco said.
Hansen faces three felony charges related to the rocket attack and could be sentenced to 30 years to life in prison. Pacheco said Hansen, a convicted arsonist, is also suspected
but has not been charged in a series of arsons on the Hemet police firing range, code enforcement vehicles at City Hall and the Hemet police evidence storage facility.
Authorities said Johnson was constantly being watched and Smit knew nearly everything police were doing.
“You can’t find out what kind of car someone’s driving unless you’re following them. He was also aware of where he lived, his habits and his travels. You can’t become aware of
that unless you do extensive surveillance,” Pacheco said.
He said police took extensive action to protect Johnson and his family, but declined to give specifics.
Reached last week, Johnson said he couldn’t discuss the case out of fear for the safety of his family and other officers.
Police recovered evidence, including DNA, that connected several of the attacks, Pacheco said.
Hemet Police Chief Richard Dana said the investigation is not over and has said police are still looking for at least two additional suspects.
“I’ve spent the last seven months not willing to go 50 miles from the city and not being able put my phone down and turn it off, because every time it rings my heart is beating
wondering what happened now and if everything’s OK,” Dana said.
Hemet Police Chief Richard Dana, with DA Rod Pacheco, said two more suspects are being sought in the case.
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