Four men, including an employee of the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, have been charged over an alleged year-long graffiti spree that caused more than $170,000 (£130,000) in damage to buildings across Los Angeles.
Javier Rezendez Rocha, 38, is accused of helping to scale high-rise buildings with ladders and specialised climbing equipment before spray-painting their exteriors. Prosecutors allege the group used drones to film the vandalism and later sold merchandise linked to the graffiti.
The alleged offences took place between August 2025 and August 2026, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office. Investigators have linked the four men to 12 locations, including 11 buildings in and around downtown Los Angeles and one site in the Mid-Wilshire area.
Historic Los Angeles buildings among alleged targets
Rocha faces 12 felony counts of vandalism involving graffiti damage of $400 or more. Michael Ray Gonzales, 41, has been charged with seven counts, while Francisco Rodriguez Aguilar, 37, and Richard Evan Ward II, 45, each face two counts.
The documented repair bill is $172,930. Properties allegedly targeted include historic buildings such as the Cameo Theatre and the Roxie Theatre, as well as the E. Clem Wilson Building on Wilshire Boulevard, an Art Deco landmark associated with the 1950s television series Adventures of Superman.
Authorities also cited alleged vandalism at Pershing Square and other prominent public spaces. The E. Clem Wilson Building alone is said to have suffered more than $29,000 in damage.
Los Angeles Police Chief Jim McDonnell said the investigation involved months of surveillance, search warrants, digital evidence and analysis of social media activity. He said detectives had also identified possible links between the suspects and other high-profile graffiti sites, including the 6th Street Bridge and the so-called downtown graffiti towers, although those incidents have not been charged in this case.
“These individuals allegedly targeted some of our city’s most iconic buildings and public spaces, causing nearly $175,000 in documented damages,” Mr McDonnell said. “Graffiti is not a victimless crime. It impacts businesses, property owners, taxpayers, and our entire community.”
Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman said the defendants had allegedly turned buildings into “personal billboards”, claiming their motive was financial gain and online attention rather than artistic expression.
Officials said city-owned equipment was allegedly used during some of the incidents and later appeared in material shared online. The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power assisted with the investigation because Rocha was one of its employees.
Ward pleaded not guilty at an arraignment on 12 October and is due to have a preliminary hearing set for 19 November. Rocha is due to be arraigned on 23 October, while Gonzales’s hearing date had not been announced.
If convicted as charged, Rocha could face up to 10 years and four months in county jail. Gonzales faces a possible sentence of up to seven years, while Rodriguez Aguilar and Ward could each receive up to three years and eight months.
The charges are allegations and the defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
