Prosecutors filed 15 charges Wednesday against a 19-year-old La Habra man for his alleged role in what police described as a “mass vandalism spree” in which dozens of car windows were shattered with BBs in Whittier earlier this year.
Christian Brian Peña, 19, faces 10 counts of vandalism with a value under $400, four counts of discharging a BB gun with gross negligence and one count of resisting arrest, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office. All the charges are misdemeanors.
“According to the criminal complaint, Peña is alleged to have aided in shattering 10 car windows within a two-hour time-frame on January 23,” district attorney’s office spokesman Ricardo Santiago said in a written statement. “Five people were in four of the cars that were allegedly shot by BBs.”
Peña faces up to 11 years in state prison, if convicted as charged, prosecutors said.
At least 50 vehicles were found with windows shot out by a BB gun throughout Whittier on Jan. 23 and into the following morning. It was not clear whether investigators were continuing to seek others in connection with the BB gun rampage.
In Peña’s neighboring hometown of La Habra, police received at least five reports of similar vandalism on the same night.
It was not clear whether Peña was suspected in any of the La Habra vandalism, which falls in the jurisdiction of the Orange County District Attorney’s Office.
Peña was arrested by the Whittier Police Department on Jan. 25, according to Los Angeles County booking records. He was released from custody three days later, pending legal proceedings, after posting $10,000 bail.
The suspect was scheduled to appear to Los Angeles County Superior Court on May 13 for an arraignment hearing.