Los Alamos Reporter

Los Alamos Police Officers Arrest Man In Five Local Graffiti Incidents

DEVORE

Trenton Devore. Photo Courtesy LAPD

BY MAIRE O’NEILL
maire@losalamosreporter.com

Trenton David Francis Devore, 19, of Jemez Pueblo has been arrested and charged with two felony counts and three petty misdemeanor counts of graffiti in connection with recent incidents of graffiti at five locations in Los Alamos.

According to a statement of probable cause filed by Los Alamos Police Det. Ryan Wolking Tuesday morning, LAPD patrol officers located Devore at Smith’s Marketplace where he was employed on Monday evening.

Devore initially denied involvement, Wolking’s report states and was generally uncooperative and threatened to sue LAPD.  Officers had Devore’s vehicle towed to the LAPD impound yard and took his shoes.

Wolking’s report says Devore went back into Smith’s and allegedly made a 911 call reporting in progress graffiti at another location giving a description of himself and the truck he had been driving. He is also charged with making a false police report.

When officers entered the store to speak with Devore, he was “visibly crying and upset”, the report says. He told officers he made the call to “throw the dog a bone”. He admitted to each of the five graffiti incidents and explained the “Act of 1871” referred to in some of the graffiti.

Devore told Wolking he was trying to get his message out and that doing the graffiti was the best way to draw attention to the issues about which he cared.  He acknowleged his involvement at all five scenes:

  • A building on Los Alamos National Laboratory property on West Jemez Road;
  • A location on the Canyon Rim Trail
  • A wall on Oppenheimer Street adjacent to the Los Alamos Police Department
  • Dumpsters and a lamp post at the Los Alamos Skate Park and;
  • The Pajarito Masonic Lodge on N. Sage Loop

The estimated amount of damage caused by Devore is currently estimated at $7,500 but that amount could rise as the investigation continues.

“This was great teamwork by multiple sections within the department to include Staff Services, Patrol and Investigations,” LAPD Chief Dino Sgambellone told the Los Alamos reporter Tuesday. “I am thankful they were able to quickly close these cases through arrest”.