Police say arrest clears up graffiti taggings

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Police say arrest clears up graffiti taggings

By Dee Riggs
World staff writer

Friday, January 11, 2013

WENATCHEE — Police took what they say is a prolific graffiti tagger off the street Thursday night.

They arrested Arturo Dimas-Juan, 20, of Wenatchee on suspicion of resisting arrest, possession of graffiti materials and three counts of malicious mischief by graffiti tagging.

Wenatchee Officers Rick Johnson and Gary Geiger, members of a unit that specializes in gang activities, were patrolling late Thursday night in an area that had been hard hit by graffiti on Jan. 4, said Sgt. John Kruse.

About 11:30 p.m., they spotted Dimas-Juan walking on Ferry Street between Monitor and Cashmere streets. While talking to him, they asked him to take his hands out of his pockets but Dimas-Juan refused. When he finally complied, Kruse said, he had a spray paint can in one hand.

Kruse said officers ordered Dimas-Juan to get on the ground but he began backing away from them.

A physical confrontation occurred with officers using a submission hold to force Dimas-Juan into momentary unconsciousness.

Officers later found fresh gang-related graffiti on a shed in the 900 block of Monitor Street, a garage in the 1000 block of Monitor Street and a fence in the 300 block of Lincoln Street. Kruse said a tag name on those graffiti works matched the tag name on about 30 graffiti markings from Jan. 4.

Dee Riggs: 664-7147

deeriggs@wenatcheeworld.com

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lonedog3 4 months, 1 week ago

" possession of graffiti materials" So If someone gets stopped and they have common spray paint in their vehicle will they also be charged with possession of graffiti materials or is this charge limited to a certain age and or national origin?

lbadge320 4 months, 1 week ago

If you spray, you pay: What the law says by Jefferson Robbins

ruthieebest 4 months, 1 week ago

teacher 4 months, 1 week ago

No where in the article does it say he was in a vehicle. The paint can was in his pocket at 11:30 p.m. Would you still feel the same way if your property had been plastered with graffiti?

Lovethiscity 4 months, 1 week ago

Wow, parents make sure your children aren't out spray painting as the WPD might render them temporarily unconscious for spray painting. Hey spray painter guy, look up an attorney so the police can hand out more money.

teacher 4 months, 1 week ago

Are you serious? I'm not sure you thoroughly read the story! I hope that's the case!

Lovethiscity 4 months, 1 week ago

Our city needs to invest in cameras that officers wear. This protects both the accused and the city. Too much power is our to our local police force. I feel that there should be more proof when attempting to send someone to prison than an officers word alone. They are regular people who filled out a different application for employment than the rest of us.

Magoo 4 months, 1 week ago

This comment was removed by the site staff for violation of the usage agreement.

trunner 4 months, 1 week ago

He was approached at 11:30 pm (when it was very dark). He was refusing to reveal a can of spray paint "in his hand" (not in his vehicle). He did not comply with the officer's request - twice - to pull his hands out of his pockets and then to get on the ground. I don't think it matters what nationality the person is. The officers have no idea what a person's intent is when they refuse simple requests. For all they know he could've had a gun in his pocket. They also don't say what started the physical confrontration. He has been charged & will have his day in court. They don't state that they're trying to send him to prison. Hopefully, if he is responsible for the taggings, he will remove them or make restitution to those who were affected & not do it again. If you've ever had your building or personal property tagged you know how frustrating it is & how difficult & expensive it is to try to have it removed, which often times is nearly impossible, i.e. on a brick building.

noguilt 4 months, 1 week ago

You guys act like this was some "kid" on his way home from Sunday School who just happened to be carrying a can of spray paint. Give me a break. This is a 20 year old man at 11:30 at night with a can of spray paint in an area that had just been tagged. Good Work WPD!

11Bravo 4 months, 1 week ago

No kidding!!

kawaz 4 months, 1 week ago

The alley behind my house on Malaga avenue was hit on Thursday night. Hmmm wonder who that could've been. I have lived here for nine years and that same spot gets tagged at least once a month. We will see if this is the same offender.

lonedog3 4 months, 1 week ago

"This is a 20 year old man at 11:30 at night with a can of spray paint" Unless either the cops have x-ray eyes or the world got the story wrong the paint was in his pocket and no one saw it. are the police in a habit of stopping everyone on the street at 11:30 or just certain ones?

ProudMom 4 months, 1 week ago

If officers are patrolling an area that has recently been the target of extensive tagging, wouldn't you expect them to stop anyone wandering around at 11:30 at night? I sometimes work until 11:00 or midnight, and I would expect an officer to question me if I decided to take a casual stroll down a dark street that late at night. Also, anyone who refuses to show his or her hands to an officer, especially after being asked to do so, is considered a threat to the officer. Officers are regular people, but their employment increases the likelihood of dangerous confrontations compared to those of us in retail or office jobs. If they ask to see your hands, they are defending themselves by using their words -- just like we teach our children.