Tagger sentenced to 90 days in jail
Sneak peak of one of tomorrow's stories, today!
One of three taggers believed responsible for thousands of dollars in vandalism across the South Bay was sentenced Wednesday to 90 days in jail. Mathew Galvez, 18, of San Pedro pleaded guilty earlier this month to one count of felony vandalism.
In exchange, he agreed to serve the jail time and three years probation, during which the art student cannot have any vandalism tools, according to Carson Sheriff's Detective Armando Hernandez. Galvez must also serve 30 days performing community service for the state Department of Transportation and pay $4,800 in restitution, Hernandez said.
Hernandez said there is a recent push by county officials and law enforcement to hold vandals, or their parents, responsible for clean-up costs. He added that it's not very common that vandals get jail time.
"These guys usually don't get nearly what this guy got," Hernandez said.
Galvez was arrested Aug. 22. He was part of a tagging crew that went out nearly every night for years to scrawl colorful graffiti on the walls along the Harbor (110) Freeway from San Pedro to Gardena.
A 17-year-old who was detained at the same time will make his first Juvenile Court appearance on Nov. 26, Hernandez said. Another 18-year-old, Cesar Heredia of San Pedro, had outstanding warrants in another county.
Previous entries, and lots of comments on them, can be found here, here and here.
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About the Blogger
Larry Altman has covered crime in the South Bay since 1990. He's seen it all - the missing model who turned up dead in the desert, the wives found dead in trunks, the high-school coaches who get a little too close to their players. He drives his young colleagues nuts with his "I remember when" stories. He welcomes your tips and observations about the present, and you can mix in a little Lakers basketball talk if you like.
E-mail Larry at larry.altman@dailybreeze.com.
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free this kid risking his freedom so that the world wont b dull