It was recently reported on LA Times that two men were arrested on suspicion of vandalism. Police officers served search warrants on suspected graffiti vandals and arrested two of the three suspects. The three men are alleged members of a tagging group called PCN, which stands for Painting City Nightly or Painters Causing Nightmares. They are accused of causing $338,000 in damage to freeway bridges and L.A. County properties. Their tagging is reported to have started approximately 1 ½ years ago. German Lara was arrested without incident. Lara used the tagging moniker “Move.” He is alleged to be responsible for $109,000 in damage. Andrew Pineda, who uses the tagging moniker “Bogus,” was also arrested. He is alleged to have caused $109,000 in damages.
Under California Penal Code Section 594, vandalism is committed when a person maliciously defaces with graffiti, damages, or destroys any real or personal property. Vandalism is a considered to be a “wobbler.” This means that the prosecution has discretion to charge the crime as either a felony or a misdemeanor. If the damages are more than $400, the prosecution has discretion to charge the crime as a felony. A felony conviction is punishable by imprisonment in state prison for up to three years and a fine of up to $10,000. If the damages are less than $400, the crime is a misdemeanor. A misdemeanor conviction is punishable by imprisonment in county jail for up to one year and a fine of up to $1,000. The court may also order the convicted defendant to pay restitution. These are only a few of the possible punishments for a vandalism conviction. For more information, visit our website at www.wklaw.com and read our Vandalism section.
If you or a loved one is facing a charge of vandalism, it is important that you speak with an experienced vandalism attorney. At Wallin & Klarich, our Southern California vandalism attorneys have over 30 years of experience. We will closely review the facts of your case and aggressively defend your rights. Call us today at (888) 280-6839 or contact us through our website at (888) 280-6839 or contact us through our website at www.wklaw.com. We will be ther