Ventura County Sheriff – Incident Press Release
A 24-year-old Moorpark man arrested for spray painting gang graffiti and causing hundreds of dollars of vandalism damage within the city of Fillmore.
Between March 19, 2021 to March 21, 2021, deputies responded to several reports of an unknown suspect who had spray painted gang related graffiti on cement walls throughout the city of Fillmore. Fillmore patrol deputies began the initial investigation.
The investigation led to deputies locating evidence pertaining to gang related graffiti which was determined to be from two documented rival gangs from the cities of Moorpark and Fillmore.
Detectives from the Fillmore Station continued with an extensive two-month long investigation. The investigation resulted in the vandalism suspect being identified as Moorpark resident Christian Ortis.
On May 11, 2021, Fillmore detectives located and arrested Ortis in the 50 block of Majestic Court in Moorpark. Ortis was taken into custody and he was subsequently booked at the Ventura County Main Jail for violations of PC 594 (b) (2) (a) / Graffiti Vandalism and PC 186.22/participation in a Criminal Street Gang. Ortis remains in custody with his bail set at
$100,000. His court date is set for May 13, 2021.
Graffiti vandalism is an eyesore that directly affects the quality of life in our communities. If left unchecked, graffiti can decrease property values and lead to the deterioration of entire
neighborhoods. Gang graffiti may also be the catalyst for additional, more serious conflicts between rival gangs. The removal of graffiti costs homeowners, business owners and taxpayers thousands of dollars each year. The Fillmore Detective Bureau recently arrested Christian Ortis and charged him with numerous counts of graffiti vandalism that occurred within the City of Fillmore. The charges amount to a felony.
Over the last month, numerous locations in and around Fillmore were targeted by a graffiti vandal. Some of these locations included private residences and city / county owned property. Using spray paint, the vandal would deface locations with various gang lettering.
The Fillmore Police Department encourages citizens to immediately report suspicious people and vehicles, and to promptly report any graffiti they come across. After police investigation, all graffiti should be immediately removed.
Anyone with information pertaining to crimes of this nature are urged to contact Detective Pewsey at the below listed number. The reporting party may remain anonymous.
Graffiti Removal
The city removes all graffiti by either painting over it or by using the power washer, depending upon the location of the graffiti. If graffiti is on private property, the city secures a signed agreement from the property owner giving them permission to do the work. Call the city at (805) 524-1500 if you see graffiti within the city and they will take steps to remove it.
The Fillmore Police Department encourages citizens to immediately report suspicious people and vehicles, and graffiti to promptly report any crime they come across by calling 911. The Ventura County Sheriff’s Office would like to thank members of the public for their on-going support and due diligence in providing information to assist our agency in solving crimes. We are better at what we do because of our community partnerships.
Join us in the fight on crime by following us on Twitter @VENTURASHERIFF, Facebook, Instagram @ VCSHERIFF, and with Nixle by texting your zip code to 888777 to receive local law enforcement and public safety alerts and advisories.
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