This year alone, the city of Fresno has spent more than $2.6 million cleaning up graffiti.
On Wednesday, local leaders announced the arrests of more than a dozen people accused of causing more than $120 thousand in damages.
“If you’re going to tag in our city, this task force will identify you, arrest you, and prosecute you to the fullest extent of the law,” said Fresno Mayor Jerry Dyery.
City leaders say they’re making good on that promise by the mayor announcing 14 people considered “prolific taggers” are facing felony charges for damaging graffiti.
In February, the city attorney’s office, Fresno Police, and the Fresno County District Attorney’s Office launched an effort to clean up the city and hold graffiti vandals accountable.
“It’s costing our community, it’s costing us taxpayer base, it’s costing us businesses coming to this community, and it’s costing people to have fear, because when you walk down the street, your average person doesn’t know if it’s a gang tagging or something else,” said Balderrama. “They just see the graffiti, and they don’t feel safe.”