For weeks, the case involving racist e-mails sent to a Battle Ground city councilman was put on hold, pending word from the U.S. Attorney's Office in Seattle.
The e-mails were from Battle Ground teenager Christopher Reinhold, who used the name "battleground anonymous." They were sent to Councilman Paul Zandamela, an African-born man from Mozambique who had been sworn into his position the night before the first e-mail was sent, on Jan. 8, 2008.
Lawyers at the U.S. Attorney's Office became interested in the case and on Friday wrote to Reinhold's defense attorney, Jon McMullen, that they would let the case rest if Reinhold changed his plea.
Reinhold had pleaded not guilty to a cyberstalking charge, which is a gross misdemeanor. On Monday morning, Reinhold changed his plea to guilty in District Court Judge Darvin Zimmerman's courtroom.
"Basically, they said, 'If you fight it down here, win lose or draw, we'll charge in federal court,' " McMullen said.