Press Release: People v. Simpson-Upmeyer, Corey, 10/30/09

October 30, 2009
Bradford R. Fenocchio

District Attorney

PLACER COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY

10810 Justice Center Drive, Suite 240
Roseville, California 95678

PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release
Date: October 30, 2009

Contact:

Art Campos

Public information Officer

916-543-8076

Scott Owens

Assistant District Attorney

916-543-8000

FOUR MEN WHO PLAGUED LOCAL AREA WITH GRAFFITI FACE SENTENCES FOR VANDALISM

Four men who were arrested in May for allegedly causing $80,000 in damage by painting graffiti on walls throughout Roseville and Sacramento are facing 90-day jail sentences after pleading no contest to vandalism.

The four will also be subject to paying for the damages and doing community service when they return to Placer County Superior Court for sentencing on December 2, according to prosecutor Tracy Lunardi of the Placer County District Attorney’s Office.

The defendants - Corey Simpson-Upmeyer, 20; Andrey Petkov, 19; Mikhail Russu, 20, and Frederick Rivera-Valdivia, 19 - were arrested May 8 during an undercover graffiti sting operation conducted by the Roseville Police Department.

In court Wednesday before Judge J. Richard Couzens, each defendant entered a plea of no contest to a single count of vandalism. Each was originally charged with 22 counts of vandalism-related crimes as well as enhancements for street gang terrorism. They faced the possibility of state prison sentences.

Police said the men were part of a gang known as the Sacramento Graffiti Killers and that the group was responsible for more than 300 cases of “tagging” in Roseville and Sacramento.