Graffiti

Appearance is very valuable to a place of business and a great appearance makes for a more attractive public building or area. When a person vandalizes a building or other area through the use of a marking device in order to make a statement or for the sake of amusement, he or she may be charged with a graffiti misdemeanor or felony. Wisconsin is hard on criminals who deface any area or establishment, whether public or commercial.

The Act

Criminals may decide to graffiti an area for a number of reasons. The actor may have a dispute with the staff of an establishment and he or she has decided that using graffiti may be a sufficient form of retaliation. Other graffiti users may choose to vandalize a public or famous building to send a message to the community or in order to display his or her abilities.

Accomplices of such crimes may also face a graffiti charge, whether or not they were directly involved. Charges range from Class B misdemeanors to first degree felonies, depending on the amount of damage done to property and the value of the property.

Gang-Related Activity

Gang members have implemented the use of graffiti as a method of communicating or encoding messages to the community and rival gangs. Regardless of the message, graffiti is still illegal in Wisconsin and to be charged with a graffiti misdemeanor can have long-lasting repercussions on an individual’s future, whether professional or educational.

Contact a Criminal Defense Attorney in Milwaukee

If you have been charged with a graffiti crime, this is a serious allegation and it would be wise to pursue the many avenues of legal recourse to keep your legal options open. Contact our experienced Milwaukee criminal defense attorneys from Hart Powell, S.C. today by calling (414) 271-9595.