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Three plead guilty to felony vandalism in graffiti spree

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By Neal Putnam

A 19-year-old Ramona man who pleaded guilty to felony vandalism in graffiti damages that exceed $10,000 will be sentenced Jan. 6.

Skyler Paschke was one of three people arrested Oct. 25 and charged with graffiti damages in Ramona and Poway. All three were associated with a group called Making Art Daily (MAD), according to the sheriff’s department.

Paschke, who remains free on $20,000 bond, faces up to a year in jail and could be ordered to pay damages when he is sentenced by El Cajon Superior Court Judge Charles Ervin.

The MAD group targeted businesses, libraries, churches, schools and private property with spray paint, permanent markers and etching devices from Jan. 20 to Oct. 9. A five-month investigation by sheriff’s deputies looked into 131 incidents of graffiti in Ramona and Poway that caused $82,000 in damages.

Michael Gene Davis, 19, of Chula Vista, pleaded guilty to committing felony vandalism that exceeds $10,000 in damages. He was sentenced to four days in jail, a fine of $1,324, and a suspended one year jail term, according to court records.

Davis, a former Ramona resident, lost his driver’s license for two years and was placed on three years probation. Ervin ordered him not to possess tagging tools such as spray paint or markers while on probation.

Cameron Benge, 19, of San Diego, also pleaded guilty to felony vandalism. He was sentenced by Judge Daniel Goldstein to 25 days in jail and to pay $500 to RAE Automotive and $152 to a resident, court records say.

Benge, also a former Ramona resident, was fined $1,324 and ordered to complete 30 hours of volunteer work at a nonprofit organization by Feb. 18, 2014. He has finished his jail term and also was banned from possessing tagging tools for three years.

“I did unlawfully and maliciously cause damage to business property by putting graffiti on property that caused more than $10,000 destruction,” wrote Benge in court records.

Each pleaded guilty to committing felony vandalism over the period of time with $10,000 in damages instead of individual counts of tagging, which would be misdemeanors. If they violate probation terms, they could get more jail time.

Charges were dropped against an 18-year-old woman who also was arrested.

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