Provo Man Charged with Hate-Crime-Enhanced Stalking After Anti-Gay Threats

An 18-year-old resident of Provo, Utah, identified as Damyen Vainuku, has been accused of stalking a former high-school classmate and threatening lethal violence against the victim and his family. Police say the messages were accompanied by photographs of firearms.

The Advocate

Vainuku was arraigned in Utah’s 3rd District Court on a series of offenses: stalking (a second-degree felony), six counts of being a restricted person in possession of a weapon (third-degree felonies), one count each of making a threat of violence and harassment (class A misdemeanors), and additional “targeting” enhancements that function as hate-crime designations under Utah law. Investigators identified 13 distinct firearm-related threats in the charging documents.

The Advocate

Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill condemned the conduct, emphasizing that threats based on sexual orientation undermine community safety. Gill’s office indicated that the Survivor and Victims Services team will assist the victim and his family in processing the trauma associated with the alleged targeting.

The Advocate

“Threats of violence are unacceptable. Stalking and threats based on someone's sexual orientation or how they appear are abhorrent and make our entire community less safe,” — Salt Lake County District

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• August 21 (occurred): Salt Lake City police launched an investigation after West High School staff reported that Vainuku had threatened the victim and his family the previous day.

The Advocate

The case proceeds under Utah’s hate-crime statutes, highlighting the state’s legal mechanisms for addressing bias-motivated violence.

The Advocate