3 Gang Members Tagged Canton Building With Graffiti: Cops

CANTON, GA — Three Bartow County men have been charged in connection to graffiti that was spray-painted on a building last month on Railroad Street in downtown Canton.

Cartersville residents Luis Alberto Rocha and Juan Estaban Gallegos, both 24, and Koty Lance Gallegos, 31, of Kingston, have been charged with criminal trespass and violating Georgia's Street Gang Terrorism Act.

The graffiti appeared on the Canton Police Department's radar when officers responded to a call around 8:43 a.m. Monday, Oct. 22 of a business's outside wall being vandalized at 251 Railroad Street. Officers obtained surveillance footage, which showed three subjects spray painting the side of the building around 1 a.m. Oct. 21.

Police said they believed the graffiti was gang-related, and shared information on social media in an effort to generate leads in the case. Investigators learned the identity of the three subjects, who authorities believed are members of the Cartersville Vatos Locos (CVL) gang.

Canton police said the three men allegedly "tagged the wall because they had issues with individuals here in Canton." Detectives secured arrest warrants for the trio on Wednesday, Nov. 7 and as of 4 p.m. Friday, only Juan Gallegos has been taken into custody. Canton police are working with the FBI to find the two other men.

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"Our detectives dedicated many hours to solve this case," Chief Mark Mitchell said. "As you can see, these offenders are not from our city and I urge those who live here that were the subject of their tagging to take heed of how hard our Officers and our law enforcement partners work to ensure individuals who commit these crimes will be sought out, arrested and charged accordingly."

Mitchell thanked the Cartersville and Kingston police departments as well as the FBI for their help in cracking the case.

Image via Canton Police Department