Young man pleads guilty to tagging downtown courtroom while awaiting graffiti hearing

SAN DIEGO (CNS) – An 18-year-old man who tagged a downtown courtroom as he waited for a hearing on another one of his graffiti cases pleaded guilty Wednesday to a felony vandalism charge.

Francisco Canseco faces probation and local jail time when he is sentenced Aug. 5.

As part of the plea deal, 32 misdemeanor charges were dismissed and Canseco will be required to pay restitution of more than $16,000, said Deputy District Attorney Curtis Ross.

Canseco was in court April 24 on the misdemeanor case, and the next day, a court services deputy sheriff noticed fresh graffiti on chairs and hallway benches outside the courtroom.

Authorities used the Graffiti Tracker software program to trace a graffiti moniker back to Canseco, who was arrested at his City Heights home.

Judge Charles Gill ordered Canseco held without bail pending sentencing.