Over a span of 5-years, an unidentified individual has vandalized over 750 different locations across the Santa Clarita Valley. During this period, the individual wrote, spray-painted, etched and stickered the names RANE and KASE onto various walls, windows and pretty much anything else he could find. Recently, Santa Clarita Valley detectives learned the identity of the suspect, Isiah Garcia, and executed a search warrant in his Newhall residence. Upon searching the home, deputies discovered permanent markers, cans of spray-paint, stickers, etching tools and a few other items linking Garcia to the spate of vandalism.
According to reports, Garcia has been released on his own recognizance and is cooperating with investigators. There is no word yet on the monetary amount of damage that the suspect may have caused, and investigators believe there may still be additional unreported incidents of vandalism related to the case.
Vandalism is covered under California Penal Code 594 PC, and can be described as damaging, destroying, or defacing with graffiti property that belongs to someone else. Vandalism, like many California crimes, is a wobbler and can be charged as either a misdemeanor or a felony; depending on the cost to repair the defaced property.
If the cost is less than $400, then misdemeanor charges are likely to be filed. If convicted of misdemeanor vandalism, the penalties include up to 1-year in county jail, a maximum fine of $1,000 (or $5,000 if the defendant has a prior vandalism conviction on their record), and/or informal probation.
If the cost to repair the property exceeds $400, then felony charges can be filed. The penalties for felony vandalism convictions include up to 1-year in county jail, a maximum fine of $10,000 (or $50,000 if the defendant has a prior vandalism conviction), and/or informal probation.
