By Chief Steven J. Wojnar
Dudley Police Department Someone recently read about the offense of “tagging.” On its face, this appears to sound minor in nature however; it is a very serious offense. I was asked to explain this crime and the potential penalties. The crime of “tagging” is a form of property destruction. It is described in Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 266 Section 126B as anyone who “sprays or applies paint or places a sticker upon a building, wall, fence, sign, tablet, gravestone, monument or other object or thing on a public way or adjoined to it, or in public view, or on private property.” It also involves the marking of, “words or phrases associated to such persons, conduct or activity, either as an individual or in a group.” An example of this may be a person spray painting his or her initials on a building or other place. People may more commonly refer to this type of activity as “graffiti.” Serious fines and penalties are associated with this offense. It carries a jail sentence of up to two years. It also has a minimum fine of $1,500 OR three times the value of the property so destroyed “whichever is greater.” A person can be subject to both jail and a fine. Another major consideration is the person convicted of this offense will also have their license to operate suspended for one year. If the offender is under age 16, their license eligibility time will be extended by one year. In other words, a young person would not be able to obtain a license until at least age 17 and one half. This may appear to be harmless fun to some, but it comes with a great cost and aggravation on behalf of the property owners. |
A great deal of money, time, and effort goes into to the cleanup of these crimes. People who are considering committing this offense, should certainly take time to weigh the consequences.
Thanks again for your questions and comments. Please send them to me at the Dudley Police Department 71 West Main St. Dudley, Ma. 01571 or email at swojnar@dudleypolice.com. Opinions expressed in this weekly column are those of Chief Wojnar only and unless clearly noted, do not reflect the ideas or opinions of any other organization or citizen. |
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