San Diego
The “Billboard Bandit” who defaced cigarette billboards with anti-smoking graffiti, was ordered Friday to pay one advertising company $400 for the damage he caused, but the other victims waived restitution.
Donald G. House will instead perform 150 hours of community service--this in addition to the 250 hours he had already been ordered to perform.
Municipal Court Judge Richard J. Hanscom approved the unusual restitution requested by Gannett Outdoor Advertising, Patrick Media Group and the San Diego Padres.
House, 42, was arrested June 13 at San Diego Jack Murphy Stadium after he began spraying a message on a Marlboro ad above the outfield bleachers. House later admitted to placing messages, such as “Cancer Ain’t Suave,” on 46 billboards.
Following a short trial in September, House was convicted of four counts of vandalism for his one-man campaign against cigarette advertising.
House had previously been given a three-year suspended sentence--the equivalent of probation--and was ordered to perform his community service as a painter for local groups.
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