Graffiti tagger agrees to plea deal
'El Barto' admits to vandalism, will get community service
By LORI A. CARTER
THE PRESS DEMOCRAT



In a plea deal that is likely to require him to paint over graffiti, a Santa Rosa man accused of causing more than $100,000 in "tagging" damage has admitted two felony counts of vandalism.


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The plea bargain includes a commitment that prosecutors won't seek prison time for Saif Azzuz, 19, who is known by his ubiquitous spray-painted moniker "El Barto."

Azzuz, a Santa Rosa Junior College student, probably will start with three years of probation but could face as long as five years, prosecutor Craig Brooks said.

He will be closely supervised under the Probation Department's Educational Sentencing Program, which will include a s tructured program of community service work.

He would be able to "earn misdemeanors" in place of the felonies if he successfully completes probation and performs a significant number of volunteer hours, defense attorney Jonathan Steele said.

Seven other felony counts will be dismissed at the time of sentencing, set for April 9. The plea deal was completed Tuesday, the day before Azzuz's preliminary hearing was to begin.

Substantial restitution payments will be required, Brooks said, though those amounts hadn't been determined.

"It will be very significant restitution," he said.

As part of his probation, Azzuz may be required to speak to youth groups or others about damage his vandalism caused the community and difficulties it caused in his own life, Brooks said.

In October, Azzuz was charged with nine felony counts of vandalism, each with enhancements for monetary damage that reached into six figures, to private property, vehicles and property of the city of Santa Rosa and PG&E.

Police said they suspected Azzuz in at least 300 instances of graffiti vandalism in the North Bay, many that included his nickname or a signature cartoon face. His tag had become prominent on freeway railings and overpasses, homes, commercial buildings, fences, signs and utility poles.

At least one Santa Rosa attorney said he couldn't represent Azzuz because "El Barto" had vandalized his Mendocino Avenue offices.

After identifying Azzuz as El Barto, police arrested him in the Ridgway Avenue apartment where he lived with his father, across the street from the Santa Rosa City Schools administrative offices.

They carted away bags of spray paint, spray can accessories, an array of nozzle tips and pencil sketches of tags that had been sprayed in the area.

He was booked on $100,000 bail, enormous for a vandalism case, but has been free on bail for several months.

The vandalism Azzuz admitted to is different than gang graffiti that police and city clean-up crews also grapple with. Investigators say graffiti taggers - whom some call artists - paint mainly for entertainment, gaining a sort of notoriety that comes with the recognition of their work.

City graffiti cleaners said Azzuz's nickname and insignia w ere apparently inspired by the actions of TV cartoon character Bart Simpson.

Steele said the plea bargain includes a commitment to community service, likely painting over other vandals' work. He said Azzuz has already started trying to right his wrongs.

"To his credit, he already has - on his own - volunteered to do abatement," Steele said. "I think it's really hit him now."

Azzuz is a full-time student at SRJC and plays soccer.