Pair of Coachella Valley vandalism suspects plead not guilty
Two suspected vandals accused of causing more than $10,000 of damage to public and private property in Coachella Valley made initial court appearances today.
Austin Levens of Desert Hot Springs and Jayce Creeden of Rancho Mirage, who were 27 and 23 at the time of arrest, respectively, each pleaded not guilty to a felony count of vandalism during an arraignment Thursday at the Larson Justice Center in Indio, according to case records.
The defendants are due back in court for a felony settlement conference on March 7.
Deputies from the Palm Desert sheriff's station responded to the intersection of Monterey Avenue and Verbenia Road in September regarding reports of a wall damaged by graffiti, according to the Riverside County Sheriff's Department.
The areas targeted included freeway bridges, electrical boxes, private fences, walls and street signs. Special Enforcement Team personnel executed two search warrants in the 66000 block of 10th Street in Desert Hot Springs and at a residence near Victory Road and Via Merenda in Rancho Mirage.
During the investigation, authorities allegedly recovered about 170 cans of spray paint, more than 100 spray paint tips, custom stickers, a graffiti book and upward of 300 paint markers. Creed and Levens were arrested Oct. 14 and booked into the John Benoit Detention Center with bail set at $10,000.
Levens and Creeden were released later that day, according to inmate records.
"The suspects are believed to be responsible for all the vandalism acts displaying the words ONCES, ELEVENS, 11s and RACHET,'' sheriff's officials said in a statement.
Anyone with information regarding the alleged vandalism was encouraged to call Rancho Mirage SET Deputy Jacob Paull of the Palm Desert station at 760-393-3220.
