Prolific graffiti writer in Phoenix gets one year in prison.

Prolific graffiti writer in Phoenix gets one year in prison.
December 2nd, 2010


(Reuters) – An Arizona man, dubbed Phoenix’s “worst graffiti vandal” by authorities, was sentenced to one year in prison on Tuesday for scrawling his work on about 300 places during a 20-month spree.
Joel Delgado, 27, also was placed on four years probation under a plea deal approved by Judge Daniel Martin in Maricopa County Superior Court.
He could have faced more than six years in prison if convicted at trial.
Delgado, who used the name “Jugs” or “Jugz,” had confessed to the graffiti crimes and said at the time of his arrest that he wanted to be put behind bars for his actions, prosecutors said.
“I get a rush out of it and I can’t stop. This is like a problem for me. Seriously a problem. I’m 27 years old. I’m going to be 30 years old, I’m like what am I doing? Writing on walls? Hopefully I end up in prison,” Delgado said at the time, according to a written statement released by prosecutors.
Delgado was tracked using new technology that allows authorities to observe all the places he tagged, pinpointing areas to target for surveillance.
City officials said it cost $20,000 to remove Delgado’s graffiti.