Individuals Arrested For Vandalism Of Marine Corps Office

An individual in Denton was recently arrested on charges of criminal mischief after law enforcement claimed that he vandalized the U.S. Marine corps recruiting office located on South Loop 288. The office experienced two acts of vandalism that resulted in law enforcement closely patrolling the area. Law enforcement was able to determine that the individual in question was vandalizing the office due to surveillance footage that showed him parking his car and breaking the office’s front door with a sledgehammer.

The defendant told law enforcement that the recruiting office was vandalized because the individual believed that the recruiting staff was performing an experiment on him. The individual also told law enforcement that he could read minds.

The individual was taken to Denton City Jail due to the criminal mischief charge as well as a charge of graffiti with a monetary loss between $100 to $750. The individual’s bail was set at $1,000 on each charge. Because the individual is an undocumented immigrant, he received a detainer from the Department of Homeland Security. A detainer most often applies to unauthorized immigrants who have been convicted of a crime and requests law enforcement to notify the appropriate federal agency when the individual is released. For individuals in the state of Texas who are charged with criminal mischief, it is often a wise idea to retain the assistance of a knowledgeable criminal defense attorney.

Criminal Mischief Explained

Criminal mischief in the state of Texas consists of intentionally or knowingly damaging the property of another individual, interfering with another individual’s property so as to cause loss or substantial inconvenience, or intentionally creating graffiti on the property of another. One of the most common types of criminal mischief charges is when an individual keys another person’s motor vehicle. In many cases, criminal mischief is related to property that is damaged out of anger or as part of a retaliatory act.

Criminal Mischief Consequences

Based on a variety of factors, criminal mischief can be classified as several types of penalties. If the damage in question is $50 or less, an individual will be charged with a Class C misdemeanor that results in a fine of $500. Individuals who cause damage between $50 to $500, the individual will be charged with a Class B misdemeanor that can result in up to 180 days in jail and fine of $2,000. Lastly, individuals who are charged with damaging property between $500 to $1,500 can face penalties of up to one year in jail and a fine of up to $4,000. Crimes involving damage of more costly amounts of property can result in individuals facing larger fines and greater periods of time in jail.

Obtain the Services of a Seasoned Denton Criminal Defense Attorney

Wheeler Law Office is dedicated to helping clients who face criminal charges including vandalism. Contact our law office today to retain the assistance of strong legal counsel that can create a strong legal strategy to respond to your case.

(image courtesy of Rafal Malinowski)