A Queens man has been charged with criminal mischief for spray painting his tag more than 45 times on public and private property including traffic signs, light poles, bus shelters and a police van, the Queens district attorney's office said Wednesday.
Matthew Young, 23, of Ridgewood was charged in a 93-count indictment that accuses him of causing thousands of dollars worth of property damage around Queens.
Prosecutors say on 45 separate occasions he sprayed his tag "SA," "SA ONE" or "RIC ZIC" across Glendale, Richmond Hill and Forest Hills.
Young used spray paint to write his tags in all instances except for two bus shelters in which he allegedly used acid to burn his tag, the DA said.
"Far from being a victimless crime, graffiti encourages lawlessness, leads to a decrease in property values and is costly to its victims to remove," Queens D.A. Richard Brown said in a statement.
Young's lawyer was not immediately available for comment.
Young faces up to seven years in prison if convicted.
