Former Olympian indicted by a grand jury for reaching into reflecting pool after Trump threatened YEARS in jail for vandalism

Former U.S. Olympian David Hearn was indicted by a grand jury Thursday after he was arrested for lounging in the waters of a reflecting pool in Washington, D.C.

The 67-year-old Olympian was arrested last month following accusations that he damaged the new paint job on the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool championed by President Donald Trump.

Hearn was indicted on a single charge of criminal damage to property. Jeanine Pirro, U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia, said Hearn “in a deliberate act” shattered the sealant that had recently been applied to the pool, causing $1,000 in damage.

She accused him of pulling up the bottom liner “strongly and violently” with “both hands” and acting aggressively towards an employee who told him to stop.

“This is a case with overwhelming evidence,” Pirro continued, adding that prosecutors are looking at about six other cases.

His attorney told CNN on Thursday that they were previously unaware of any developments in Hearn’s case because of the misdemeanor charges he was served with.

After numerous arrests, Trump threatened serious prison time for anyone who damaged the pool after its expensive renovations.

The president blamed ‘vandals’ at Truth Social for the damage to the renovated pool, as the ‘American flag blue’ began to peel off from the bottom.

‘Who would do such a thing? These are very serious crimes related to the destruction of National Monuments. ‘He’s been in prison for years,’ he wrote.

Hearn previously told the Daily Mail that his arrest and charges were a farce aimed at promoting a false narrative, while sharing a photo of the pool’s damaged facade.

Renovations to the Reflecting Pool were completed on June 6, but less than two weeks later algae began to grow and the paint began to peel.

Donald Trump claims protesters at Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool could face ‘years in prison’ after arrest this weekend

‘It is a completely unfounded accusation. That’s a lie,’ Hearn said over the phone. ‘I did not dismantle, tear, destroy, destroy or in any way damage any part of the reflection pool.’

Hearn admitted touching a ‘loose piece of cladding’, but claimed he only did so because he was ‘curious as a concerned citizen’.

President Trump supported the $16 million renovation as part of his goal to beautify Washington, D.C., ahead of America’s 250th anniversary.

But less than two weeks after the project was completed, the newly refreshed paint job began to peel and algal blooms turned the water green. Trump admitted over the weekend that the pool may need to be drained for repairs.

“Clearly they wanted a story they could support, about vandals damaging the reflecting pool,” said Hearn, adamant he had done nothing wrong.

“Officers were prepared to use trumped-up charges to accuse me and anyone else they found of vandalism,” Hearn said.

The Olympian also shared a photo of the peeling paint taken just before her arrest.

In video of Hearn’s arrest, the Olympian is seen standing next to the Reflecting Pool on his bike before being approached by two National Guard soldiers. The video shows him walking toward four police officers and a third National Guard soldier.

In video of Hearn’s arrest, the Olympian is seen standing next to the Reflecting Pool on his bike before being approached by two National Guard soldiers. The video shows him walking toward four police officers and a third National Guard soldier.

Hear took this photo of the peeling paint shortly before his arrest. He said he was just touching and denied harming her in any way.

A fifth officer wearing a white shirt, identified by Hearn as Lieutenant Stone, is seen speaking to the Olympian, whose hands are handcuffed behind his back. Hearn said Stone ‘appeared to be the driving force behind the arrest’.

In a statement to the Daily Mail, White House spokesperson Taylor Rogers responded to Hearn’s claims, saying: ‘After attempting to destroy a national monument, it is despicable that this deranged individual, who suffers from a severe case of Trump Derangement Syndrome, would demean the brave men and women who risk their lives to protect the public and our nation’s capital.’

Trump later issued a longer statement against the vandals, accusing them of using ‘corrosive and destructive’ chemicals to destroy the pool.

‘Several more people have been arrested in connection with the disgraceful Vandalism of our beautiful Reflecting Pool,’ he said, claiming they had destroyed a monument that ‘hasn’t looked or functioned like this since 1922’.

Trump added that he had to meet with contractors who promised to fix the problem but said they would ‘probably have to drain and drain most of the water to make the necessary repairs.’

He accused the vandals of using knives to cut a ‘250 meter long gash’ into the pool and also ‘spill’ it.It contains corrosive and destructive chemicals.

‘We are very proud of what we have done with this magnificent structure and will restore it quickly and with equal beauty,’ he said.

But just a few weeks after the victory announcement, the water in the Reflecting Pool turned a sickening lime green.

National Park Service workers use vacuum pumps to remove algae from the bottom of the newly renovated Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool

Crews were seen pouring hydrogen peroxide into the water to prevent algae growth.

The Ministry of Internal Affairs, which supervises the project, said in a statement to media organizations that ‘nanobubble technology’ was installed to prevent algae formation.

“Unlike the Obama and Biden administrations, the National Park Service is actually maintaining the beautifully completed Reflecting Pool,” a spokesperson for the department told the Daily Mail.

‘We use high-tech nanobubble ozone technology to keep the water in the Reflecting Pool not only crystal clear but also clean.’

The technology kills algae, pathogens and contaminants that have long plagued the pool, the department added.

The Trump administration later accused former President Barack Obama of failing to keep up with the renovations.

The DOI confirmed that hydrogen peroxide was used to treat the pool but claimed it had no harmful side effects to the environment or marine life.

The administration paid Green Water Solutions LLC more than $1.7 million for the ‘nano balloon’ last April, according to government spending filings.

Despite numerous renovation projects from previous administrations, the structure of the Reflecting Pool made it difficult to keep open

Ducks swim among the algae in the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool

Nanobubbles are microscopic gas bubbles. They remain suspended in water, increasing dissolved oxygen levels and changing the chemistry of the water.

The gas bubbles damage and break down the algae cells, preventing the water from turning green.

DOI said the nanobubbler technology has been tested and validated by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Ohio State University and the University of Florida.

The Reflecting Pool had troubled previous administrations because algae growth often prevented water from properly reflecting the monument as designed.

The Obama administration spent more than $35 million on a repair job, but the green tint returned within a month.

Trump initially embarked on the project, predicting that the renovations would cost $2 million and take a week to complete.

The project cost $14 million and took two months to complete. Atlantic Industrial Coating received a no-bid contract after management bypassed bureaucratic procedures. New York Times reported.

Trump said he personally selected the company after working on a pool at his golf club in Virginia, but later said he did not know the contractor.

The president later posted a photo of a protester wearing a T-shirt that read ‘MOW TEAM’ on it.

Asked about the Times report, a spokesperson for the DOI told the Daily Mail: ‘The company selected was the only one with the expertise, staff and materials required to complete the project in time for major celebrations ahead of our 250th anniversary.’

In a statement to the Daily Mail, Atlantic announced that they were awarded the contract after being recommended by the selected product supplier.

“We have never done business for President Trump, his companies, or anyone affiliated with him,” a spokesperson for the company said.

‘We covered the pool with polyurea, not paint. We have nothing to do with the water, we just agreed that the pool would be lined so it would be waterproofed to stop leaks.’

The starting price to cover the pool is $13.1 million, the spokesman added, and two other product suppliers also submitted bids.

The White House referred all questions to DOI when asked about the contract with the company.

Earlier this month, the White House shared photos of the Reflecting Pool appearing clear and blue.

‘The water is ON, the Reflecting Pool is reflective, and DC looks better than ever,’ management said.

But after a few days the algae started to appear again. A DOI spokesperson said: CNN at that time the algae were ‘leftover’.

‘This is part of the normal startup process. “We remove the algae and the nanobubbles will maintain the pool and keep it free of algae,” they added.

People familiar with the project told the Times they were concerned that the renovations did not address frequently leaking buried pipes.

Trump has faced criticism for expediting past planning processes in an effort to preserve carefully designed appearances in Washington’s renovation program; It faced criticism from its administration as partisan sniping while praising the real estate developer’s design acumen.

Lawmakers also raised questions about the decision to accept a $400 million plane from Qatar into service as Air Force One, carrying the president, his staff, security guards and journalists on trips around the country and the world.

Security experts have warned that retrofitting the aircraft would require extensive security upgrades, communications improvements to prevent eavesdropping and missile defense capabilities, all of which would take time and money to install.

Trump’s other plans to beautify Washington include demolishing the East Wing of the White House to make way for a new ballroom and building a massive arch near Arlington National Cemetery to commemorate the nation’s war dead and other prominent Americans.

The Daily Mail has reached out to David Hearn and his lawyer Norm Eisen for comment.