Anti graffiti groups applaud a judge's decision to send a tagger to jail
Ron Mizutani


Graffiti-busters are applauding a Judge's decision to send a man to jail after being caught spray painting two freeway signs.

Police on the move pursuing graffiti vandals.

"You're under arrest for criminal property damage for graffiti," says an officer.

Arrests have dramatically increased.

"You understand that we don't tolerate this graffiti o.k. it's automatic arrest," says an officer.

It's a scene Webster Agudong is familiar with.

"I shouldn't have done what I did and I messed up. I caused trouble to the community I put my parents through hell and I don't want to do that no more," says Webster Agudong, convicted graffiti vandal.


Agudong was arrested more than once.

"If you put me to jail then put me in jail my life is going to be ruined I'm not going to have a job," says Agudong.

Tuesday, Judge Karl Sakamoto sentenced him to four consecutive weekends in jail, 200 hours community service and he was ordered to pay the state more than 52-hundred dollars.

"Graffiti is a serious crime because it's such a selfish and destructive act it serves no purpose other than to inflate your ego," says Circuit court Judge Sakamoto.

"Our whole taag team our community was just very very appreciative of judge sakamoto's decision," says Malcolm Ching, Taking action against graffiti.

"The message that the judges are sending out there now is that you want to play you're going to pay," says Ching.

Malcolm Ching heads the group TAAG -- Taking Action Against Graffiti.

"We're moving in the right direction --- the police are getting involved, the community is getting involved and now when the judicial system gets involved --- now we'll some results," says Ching.

Agudong will get to know taag members soon -- it's one of two

Anti-graffiti groups he was ordered to help as part of his community service.

"Hopefully he can take this experience and change his life and maybe change other peoples lives," says Ching.

"Hopefully that will send a message to others in the community graffiti offenders specifically if you get caught this is what's going to happen to you," says Honolulu Police Captain Ron Bode.

"You know what is that yeah?," says a police officer.

Fighting graffiti remains a high priority for police island wide.

"I'm not sure if it's the publicity that graffiti is receiving nowadays that we learned of this sentence," says Capt. Bode.

"You do graffiti you will be arrested," says a police officer.

"It was nice to see a sentence like that finally handed down," says Capt. Bode.

"The penalty is harsh but I think the message needed to be sent out," says Ching.

Message sent but will it be received?