‘Prolific tagger,’ blamed for hundreds of Portland graffiti, arrested

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — A “prolific tagger” is in custody after Portland police launched an investigation into a 27-year-old graffiti artist who police say has been spray painting local buildings as far back as 2021.

“Graffiti is almost a sign that says you won’t be held accountable. And the more we see it there, the more it encourages people to commit crime. So, I do believe it’s very important that we continue to look after our most prolific graffiti vandals and hold them accountable for what they’re doing,” said officer Nathan Kirby-Glatkowski.

Jerry A. Mijangos is accused of tagging hundreds of buildings over the past two and a half years, and officials are calling him “one of the most prolific graffiti vandals” in the city as they continue to investigate him.

Woman suspected in husband’s murder found dead in Washington

But this isn’t the first time officers have come into contact with Mijangos.

Timeline of Mijangos’ run-ins with law enforcement:

November 2021: Police arrest Mijangos with two counts of first-degree criminal mischief and one count of second-degree criminal mischief. After his arrest, investigators tracked at least 15 tags associated with him.

April 2022: Officers say they caught Mijangos tagging a building overnight. However, Multnomah County’s booking policy at the time meant the officers could only cite and release him to appear in court later on.

October 2022: Five more tags are linked to Mijangos.

April 2023: Mijangos accepts a plea agreement that sentenced him to probation.

May/June 2023: Nine new cases are reported to the police department.

January 2024: Mijangos arrested for a probation violation and later indicted for additional cases. He is currently in custody.

Stay with KOIN 6 as this story develops.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KOIN.com.