Graffiti artist pleads guilty to Old Town vandalism

Pocatello,ID,USA

 

By Casey Santee - Journal Writer

POCATELLO - A Gate City graffiti artist might have gotten away with it if he hadn't taken so much pride in his work.

Twenty one-year-old Andrew Frey was caught after tagging several locations May 23 in Old Town because he reportedly signed each spray painting with his initials. 

Frey, who was charged with felony malicious injury to property, faces up to 5 years in prison plus fines and restitution at his sentencing Monday.

He remains free on his own recognizance.

Frey's alleged accomplice, Fallon Smith, 19, pleaded not guilty and is also scheduled for a court hearing Monday.

The unwanted artwork was found at Simplot Square, Qwest Communications and on two Bangs Office Products delivery vans.

Buildings located in the 400 block of West Lewis and walkways in the Center Street underpass were also tagged.

Because vandalism with a cleanup cost greater than $1,000 is a felony, Police waited about two weeks before charging Frey so they could total the damage.

And while city workers and the vandalized businesses removed the graffiti from those sites, 69-year-old Pocatello Police volunteer Orville Bock does most of the cleanup around town.

"When you get kids like some of the ones around here, it makes you scratch your head," Bock said.

A retired small businessman, Bock began working exclusively with the Neighborhood Watch Program. But when police asked him to help with the vandalism problem, Bock accepted the challenge.

Since then, he's been busy just trying to keep up with the workload.

Last week, Bock, who requires an oxygen tank to breath, spent hours on a steep Portneuf River embankment covering a spray painted skull.

"As soon as I see it, I cover it up because it discourages them," Bock said.

He fields calls from police and concerned citizens who see graffiti in alleys, beneath overpasses and along the Portneuf River's concrete embankment.

He said most of the renegade artists have one thing in common.

"They like nice, flat walls."

While pointing out some problem areas around town, Bock drove under the Gould Street overpass. Scrawled on Precision Glass next to the railroad tracks there, are several words, including obscenities, in blue spray paint.

"These ones are fresh," he said. "They weren't there a couple weeks ago."

When asked how he knew about the graffiti, he said he noticed it while driving across the overpass.

He said when he does a job on private property, he asks the owner for a donation to help with supplies.

"This is volunteer work," he said. "But some of the materials are expensive."

Bock usually spends at least one day per month cleaning up such sites, and he doesn't plan on quitting any time soon.

"I plan on doing it until I can't anymore."