Graffiti suspect says felony case 'kind of harsh for just some kids'

Wylie: Man, 20, among 3 indicted; police say charges reflect damage


12:00 AM CST on Saturday, December 16, 2006
By LAUREN D'AVOLIO / The Dallas Morning News

One man indicted on felony counts of graffiti spraying in Wylie says the city is making an example of him and that a conviction would cripple his chances of snagging a quality job.

Lance Washington, a 20-year-old Wylie High School graduate, says he was returning home from working on an art project about 3 a.m. Oct. 20 when he was arrested. He said he had a can of green spray paint in his pocket to decorate a display board for his house.

Wylie police said a patrol sergeant caught Mr. Washington in the act in October.

"He [the police officer] put two and two together," Mr. Washington said during a jailhouse interview Friday morning. "They tried to charge me with everything."

He said a co-worker gave him the board but that he bought the paint.

"I know I did something wrong, but felony is kind of up there. ... That seems kind of harsh for just some kids."

Mr. Washington doesn't affirm or deny his involvement in the taggings.

"I've never heard of anybody getting a felony for graffiti," he said.

"It's about three times harder to get a job, and you can't vote. It just really restricts you."

He said his nickname is "Grape Ape" and acknowledged that those words were emblazoned on buildings in Wylie.

But he said he doesn't know who did it.

"Yes, there's someone out there that did that, and it wasn't me. There's somebody out there – and I have no idea," he said.

Wylie police Detective Donna Valdepena said the charge reflects the damage. The people whose property was damaged, she said, will have to pay a lot to repair it.

"If you did graffiti, and it was less than $50, you've got yourself a Class C misdemeanor," she said. "You do damage to somebody's property like this and it's a state jail felony."

Akin Elementary School and businesses near the railroad tracks were among vandals' targets. Some locations were defaced more than once, Detective Valdepena said.

Mr. Washington was indicted this week on three counts of felony graffiti and is being held on $2,500 bail at the Collin County Jail.

Wylie residents Brandon Herberger, 19; Andrew Champlin, 19; Sean Pettit, 18; and Mr. Washington have been indicted on charges of felony graffiti with damage over $1,500 and less than $20,000. If convicted, they face a minimum of one year in prison.

E-mail ldavolio@dallasnews.com