A two-year investigation has resulted in the arrest of a 27-year-old man in connection with graffiti vandalism across Oro Valley, police say.
Kieran Mercer, 27, was taken into custody Thursday at his residence on Mount Bigelow Drive, following a case that involved Oro Valley police, the State Gang Task Force, Union Pacific Rail police and Tucson police.
Mercer was booked into the Pima County jail on suspicion of participating or assisting in a criminal street gang, narcotics violations, criminal damage in excess of $10,000 and criminal damage in excess of $2,000, a news release from Oro Valley police said.
Some of the vandalism police linked to Mercer had the word, “Goof” associated with it. The incidents ranged in size from small tags on stop signs to large sections of damage that spanned more than 30 feet, police said. In one instance, a rail tank car was graffitied, the news release said.
Damages associated with the graffiti topped $36,000, police said.
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