FAIREY PLEADS GUILTY TO MULTIPLE PROPERTY DAMAGE CHARGES

The Los Angeles artist charged with multiple counts of graffiti-related offenses pleaded guilty in a Boston courtroom today, agreeing to pay $2000 to a local graffiti clean-up company, to possess none of his “tools of the trade” while in Suffolk County, and to make a statement of apology to residents and deterrence to other potential offenders.

FRANK SHEPARD FAIREY, 39, pleaded guilty to one count of defacing property for a 2000 case in which he placed a poster on a Brighton Avenue electrical box and two counts of wanton destruction of property for a sticker he placed on a Fort Point traffic sign and a poster he affixed to a Back Bay condominium.

Boston Municipal Court Judge Mark Summerville ordered Fairey to serve two years of probation. During that time, Fairey must pay $2000 to a Boston-based graffiti cleanup service; he must notify the Department of Probation in advance if he expects to travel within Suffolk County; and he must not possess stickers, posters, wheat paste, or other graffiti-related materials while in Suffolk County except in connection with legal and authorized art installations.

Fairey also agreed to make a statement that first apologizes to Boston residents for placing the stickers and posters in unauthorized areas without the owners’ consent and goes on to stress the importance of respecting private property.

Also today, prosecutors affirmatively moved to terminate the prosecution of 11 additional graffiti-related charges against Fairey. Prosecutors had previously terminated the prosecution of 14 complaints after a review of the evidence led them to believe they could not prove the allegations beyond a reasonable doubt.

Assistant District Attorney Adam Foss prosecuted the case. Fairey was represented by attorney Jeffrey Wiesner.