Cops are mad he didn't get more time. From the Daily News:
Tagger gets year for damaging dozens of buses Deputy, prosecutor decry judge's ruling in caseOne of L.A.'s most prolific taggers was sentenced to a year in jail Monday for etching his moniker on dozens of Metro buses citywide - a punishment that angered police and the prosecutor who handled his case.
Gustavo "Guser" Romero, 23, of South Los Angeles damaged $108,000 worth of property during his two-year graffiti spree that included other Metro property and 52 acts of vandalism, prosecutors said.
Deputy District Attorney Jeffrey Greenberg had asked for a 35-year prison sentence for Romero, who ended up with the year in jail and five years' probation after pleading guilty Monday."This is and was a prison-type case, in my opinion, with the substantial losses and damage," Greenberg said.
Los Angeles County sheriff's Deputy Devin Vanderlaan was livid after the sentencing. He had spent two years trying to track down Romero.
"It's ridiculous. I'm shocked," he said. "That's why the city and county are messed up like they are. This was a strong case."
Right! That's why the city and county are messed up. Taggers! I'm so glad to find out that LA's problems are not about transportation or education or affordable housing. What a relief.
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There are 4 comments posted for this article.
According Wikipedia, the average sentence of rapists is 12 years (6ish time served). So the DA wanted 3 times that amount for tagging????
Posted on April 17, 2008 8:59 AM by Phaser21
Look at the city moron!It looks like hell! How many people have been killed by taggers? You are just another white liberal pendejo.
You think you are cool because you are down with urban culture-give me a break! Just as the average WORKING class man and woman in east L.A. how they feel about graffiti.
Posted on May 2, 2008 2:13 PM by Efrain Rojas
Hi Efrain - thanks for leaving the comment.
There's so much gang graffiti that's awful, ugly, dangerous, criminal...
Then there's other stuff which has artistic merit, is frequently commissioned, political, satirical...
But what really struck me about the Guzer case and this Daily News article was this line:
"Deputy District Attorney Jeffrey Greenberg had asked for a 35-year prison sentence for Romero, who ended up with the year in jail and five years' probation after pleading guilty Monday."
35 years? Do you think that punishment fits the crime? I admit that a lot of people have strong feelings against ALL graffiti, but I find it interesting enough - and a big enough part of our city - to warrant putting up this blog and discussing it.
Posted on May 2, 2008 2:45 PM by MARK MAUER
Hooray! Having grown and worked in Los Angeles my whole life, I feel like crying like Iron Eyes Cody when I see what these "artists" do to our city. I don't care if the punishment doesn't fit the crime. In other places, they'd just disappear and NOBODY would miss them.
Posted on May 27, 2008 1:15 PM by Earl