Criminal Mischief Charges
Criminal mischief is defined as “recklessly, knowingly, or intentionally causing damage or defacement to a property without their consent.” A person found guilty of such charges can face jail time, court fees, fines, and additional court-ordered penalties. But the extent of criminal charges for property damage offenses depends on the total value of damage. For instance, if a kid spray paints the side of a park bench, and the damage equals out to $200, the charges would be less serious; whereas, if a person graffiti’s an entire school playground and the damages add up to thousands of dollars, the criminal charges will be more serious.
Depending on the circumstances, a person facing criminal mischief charges for graffiti can be convicted of either a Level 6 Felony, Class A Misdemeanor, Class B Misdemeanor, or Class C Misdemeanor. Criminal mischief charges can be a Level 6 Felony if the damage was done to a school, church, community center, or a property adjacent to any of these, and the property damages are valued over $2,500. Criminal mischief charges can be a Class A Misdemeanor or Class B Misdemeanor if the property damages are valued less than $250.
It is important to retain the services of an experience criminal defense lawyer to increase your chances of reducing or dismissing charges and penalties for graffiti crimes.