WHAT:
Press Conference to Announce Arrest of Vandal

WHEN:
Friday, June 21, 2002
10:00 a.m.

WHERE:
Foothill Area Community Police Station
12760 Osborne Street, Pacoima

Los Angeles: On January 15, 2002, employees at the Defino Sound Stage in Sylmar, California, reported that unknown vandals spray painted graffiti on the walls of their business. Between January and June of this year, several other businesses in the Sylmar area were also "tagged" with similar graffiti. The victims included the Sylmar Independent Baseball League, Sylmar Graffiti Busters, Los Angeles County Parks and Recreation, KB Homes, the County of Los Angeles Department of Public Works, and the Olive View Garden Apartments. Victims also included several residents in the Sylmar area. The total value of damage to the locations was in excess of $40,000.00.

Police Officer Kelly Mahon, assigned to LAPD’s Foothill Area Community Tagger Task Force (CTTF) was assigned the investigation. With the specific "tag" used by the suspect and with eye witness accounts, Officer Mahon identified the suspect as Gary Long, 21 years old, a resident of Sylmar. Officer Mahon prepared a search warrant and an arrest warrant for Long. On June 12, 2002, the warrants were served at the residence of Long where he was taken into custody. During the service of the warrant, numerous items of evidence were also seized.

The case was presented to the District Attorney’s Office on June 14, 2002. Twenty-eight felony counts and two misdemeanor counts of vandalism were charged against Long.

The booking photo of the suspect and photos of the graffiti will be made available at the press conference.

For further information, please telephone Detective D. Escoto at 818-834-3119.

This media advisory was prepared by Public Information Officer Jason Lee, Media Relations Section, 213-485-3586.