By F. Scott Faulkner
Ventura County, CA —
Underscoring the relentless efforts by the Ventura County Sheriff’s Department to curb
the menace of graffiti and hold offenders accountable, 27-year-old Piru resident Cristian
Guerra may have finally run out of second chances.
According to VCSD spokesman Det. Justin Heersche, Guerra first came to the attention of
deputies attached to Fillmore Patrol, the West County Special Enforcement Unit, and the
Fillmore Bureau of Investigation in May of this year. On May 25, Fillmore Patrol
deputies “responded to immediate reports of vandalism” and caught Guerra and an associate in
the act.
Despite initial attempts to evade capture, both were arrested and tagged with specific “monikers”
or nicknames used in their graffiti signatures, a common tactic among vandals to maintain
anonymity. Both Guerra and his accomplice were briefly held at the Ventura County Main Jail
before being released pending trial.
Guerra was entered into a pretrial diversion program in June, which required him to steer
clear of any legal infractions for a year with the understanding that adherence would lead to the
dismissal of charges. Obviously unimpressed with the court’s leniency, Guerra attracted law
enforcement attention yet again in September when his moniker appeared afresh on public
property in the City of Piru.
At that point, detectives at the Fillmore Bureau of Investigation and the West County Special
Enforcement Unit obtained and served a search warrant for Guerra’s home on the morning of
October 9. The search yielded, not only new evidence linking him to the vandalism, but also “a
variety” of controlled substances.
Guerra was taken into custody and transported to Ventura County Jail, where he was charged
with felony vandalism, possession of graffiti tools, and possession of a controlled substance. He
is currently held with his bail set at $10,000.
Photo: Courtesy of VCSD
