Gang Member Sentenced to Graffiti Removal Duty

A 19-year-old Reseda gang member was sentenced Friday in Van Nuys Municipal Court after his conviction for spray-painting walls of businesses in a Van Nuys neighborhood claimed as turf by a rival gang.

Jose Antonio Lopez was sentenced to 45 days on a graffiti-removal work crew and three years probation. He was ordered not to associate with any member of either the Reseda Southside or Reseda Westside gangs, according to Deputy City Atty. Debra Siedorf, who handled the case.

Lopez is also banned from the intersection of Balboa Boulevard and Vanowen Street, where the crime occurred, and forbidden to possess graffiti paraphernalia.

He was apprehended Feb. 4 after reports to police by three witnesses who saw Lopez and a companion spray-painting in Van Nuys, Los Angeles City Atty. Jim Hahn said.

Presiding Judge Michael Mink set an Aug. 2 date to determine what restitution Lopez must pay for property damage, Siedorf said.

A warrant has also been issued for Owen Jin, also charged with vandalism in the case. Jin failed to appear for his March 5 arraignment.

In a second vandalism case prompted by reports from private citizens, Joshua Don Flanigan, 24, of Woodland Hills, was arrested June 16 by California Highway Patrol officers after motorists reported seeing a man spray-painting a wall of the Echo Park Branch Library.

Flanigan was charged with one count each of vandalism and possession of graffiti tools.

Arresting officers at the time confiscated a knapsack that they said contained seven cans of spray paint, specialty paint tips and a camera, which allegedly were used to photograph the graffiti.

Flanigan is scheduled for arraignment Thursday in Los Angeles Municipal Court, Hahn said.