La Puente gang member admits to vandalizing cars with graffiti

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LA PUENTE — An admitted gang was sentenced to a year in jail this week for spray-painting graffiti on three cars parked in front of La Puente homes, authorities said.
Eduardo Escobar, 18, of La Puente — an admitted “Puente 13” gang member — pleaded guilty Monday to three counts of felony vandalism in connection with the June 15 vandalism spree in the 15600 block of Loukelton Street, Los Angeles County sheriff’s Sgt. Luis Trejo said.
The value of the damage was estimated at up to $1,000 per car, he added.
“Graffiti’s just such an ugly thing (anywhere,)” Trejo said. “But when you walk out of your house and you see it on your car, and you have to drive around…I would just hate for that to happen to me.”
“(Escobar) spray-painted in large letters: “Downer” and “PX3″ on the three cars,” sheriff’s officials said in a written statement. “PX3” represents the Puente 13 street gang.
After several weeks of investigation headed by Detective Robert Chism, deputies ran across Escobar while on patrol, identified him as a Puente 13 gang member and began the process of serving him with the local gang injunction, officials said.
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During interviews with Valinda Town Sheriff Deputy Jaime Moran, Escobar said he used the moniker of “Downer,” officials said.
Recalling conversations with Chism regarding the “Downer” graffiti, Moran passed the information along, officials said. Chism then secured an arrest warrant for Escobar and a search warrant for his home.
Evidence of Puente 13 gang membership was found at his home, including the use of his moniker, “Downer,” according to the written statement.
Once in custody, Escobar admitted 
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scrawling the graffiti on the cars out of boredom, Trejo said.
In addition to the jail sentence, officials said, Escobar will be on formal probation for three years upon his release.
PHOTOS courtesy of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department
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