Bathroom graffiti threat lands teen in felony trouble

  KINGWOOD, TX (KTRK) -- An 18-year-old high school student is facing a felony charge over a threat involving guns, in the form of bathroom graffiti.

Last Wednesday, the principal of Kingwood High School, following up on a tip, discovered threatening graffiti on a bathroom wall. Court documents state that the drawing was of a gun pointing to a stick figure, with the name of an Humble ISD police officer, and stated "Kill Officer West." Other drawings also showed violence against officers, and one writing referred to shooting everyone at KHS.

Officials reviewed surveillance video from the hallway outside the restroom and interviewed witnesses to narrow down a time frame in which the graffiti appeared. They pulled Derick Richard Montelongo out of class and reportedly discovered in his possession several drawings that matched the ones in the restroom, as well as a marker matching the graffiti.

Montelongo, 18, is charged with exhibition of firearms, a felony charge. Bail has been set at $10,000 for the case.

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One of two teens accused of graffiti threats at Kingwood High School appears in court

KINGWOOD, TX (KTRK) -- One of two Kingwood High School students faced a judge today on graffiti charges. The 18-year-olds were arrested after racist messages and threatening graffiti were found at the high school.

These are two separate cases of graffiti in the bathrooms at the high school, each disturbing in their own way and both ending in felony charges against students.

School officials say one student drew a picture of a gun and wrote threats on bathroom walls at Kingwood High School. That student was in court to hear the charge against him -- a 3rd degree felony of exhibition of a firearm -- for the threatening graffiti police believe he drew on the walls of a Kingwood High School bathroom.

Derick Richard Montelongo, a senior at Kingwood High, is behind bars on a $250,000 bond. If he is released, he will have to wear a GPS monitor and have no contact with the officer that prosecutors say he threatened at the high school.

Last Wednesday, prosecutors say Montelongo drew a picture of a gun pointing to a stick figure with the name Officer West, saying kill Officer West and "shoot everyone at 3:07."

Assistant District Attorney Mary McFaden said, "Any type of threat in this day and age, whether or not officer or civilian, we take any complainant as serious as another."

In a separate incident just two days later on December 14, student Trent McKay Skinner was arrested for a similar offense. Police believe he scrawled neo-Nazi symbols on bathroom walls and referred to the Aryan Brotherhood of Texas. Skinner is charged with graffiti on school property.

Kingwood High School put a note out to parents saying the Montelongo situation was taken care of immediately and involved no real weapons.

"Last week, two boys' restrooms were defaced with graffiti that was offensive and threatening. The graffiti in one of the restrooms included a drawing of a gun and a message against police and the school. Acting immediately, we were able to quickly identify the student involved and conduct a search to determine that this was a case of vandalism with no actual weapons involved. We then worked with Humble ISD Police and the Harris County District Attorney's Office to ensure that the incident was appropriately addressed. That investigation resulted today in the arrest of two students, who each face a charge related to defacing school property with graffiti. Our school will not tolerate vandalism, graffiti, threatening or offensive messages. Thank you for your support of a safe and positive school environment."

In both cases, surveillance video showed the suspects going into the restrooms, and police discovered drawings of the graffiti on the students.

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Agencies battle against graffiti problem

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- Graffiti can make a brand new building look like an eyesore and a perfectly safe neighborhood look dangerous.

Graffiti along Highway 59 has been a growing nuisance for residents and businesses. But to fix the problem, several groups have to come together.

If you've driven the 59 corridor, it's hard not to notice the recent unwelcome additions of graffiti.

"We've noticed it on the 59 corridor, and we're trying to address it," said TxDOT spokesperson Danny Perez.

Along the busy Richmond Avenue, businesses are facing a similar problem -- graffiti they have to clean up.

"My warehouse guy, someone has to clean it," said Shawn Sultanali, Baths of America owner. "We have to spend money to go buy the products to clean it. It wastes everybody's time. I don't know for why, what reason."

Sultanali's right -- whether they like it or not, it's the responsibility of property owners to keep their buildings graffiti-free. But what about markings on Houston's highways? That's the job of TxDOT.

Perez said, "It costs about $51,000 a year, to clean that up, to paint over it, to go out there with a pressure washer, to whatever it is we have to do."

TxDOT says it tries to clean up graffiti within 24-72 hours after someone reports it, but there is no obvious reason as to why the graffiti has increased, although some experts speculate it might correlate with spring break.

Patricia Harrington, director of the mayor's anti-gang office, said, "We see more tagger graffiti than gang graffiti, because the goal is to promote the tagger. So that's why you see it on the freeway signs, that's why you see it on the billboards. They want it in a place where it's really going to be exposed and seen."

Those involved with graffiti abatement say the busiest times of year are seasons when students are out of school.

You can report graffiti problems to 311.

We'll have more on this story this afternoon on ABC13 Eyewitness News.

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