In the celebrations that took to the streets of San Francisco after their home-team Giants defeated the Texas Rangers in the 2010 World Series, police arrested six people in the ensuing riot.
Rioters stormed vehicles, set fires, and shattered business storefronts, including one at the Dugout Store at AT&T Park, according to police. An officer reportedly required stitches after being injured while trying to quell the over-zealous revelers and one police car was damaged. Reports of gunfire, brawls, and beatings had also been surfacing through social outlets like Twitter and Mashable.
Most prominent among the chaos that erupted that night were acts of vandalism. In California, the act of malicious mischief (or vandalism) is committed when you maliciously deface, damage, or destroy the property of another without consent.
The severity of the penalties depends on the value of the damage done to the property. If the amount of defacement, damage, or destruction is $400 or more, penalties may include imprisonment in county jail or state prison for up to one year, or by a fine of not more than $10,000. The fine may also be increased to $50,000 if the amount of damage $10,000 or more. If the amount of damage is less than $400, penalties include imprisonment in county jail for a period of up to one year and/or a maximum fine of $1,000. Punishment terms may potentially increase for prior vandalism convictions.
If you are facing malicious mischief charges, it is important that you seek the legal counsel of an experienced criminal defense attorney. Although not a severely serious offense, a vandalism conviction will still appear on a criminal record and carries with it a fine and a jail sentence. At Wallin & Klarich, our Orange County attorneys have over 30 years of practice experience in handling vandalism cases. Call us today at 888-280-6839 or visit us online at www.wklaw.com. We will be there for you when you call.
