Vandalism charges OK’d for damage to Black Lives Matter sign in Thousand Oaks – VC Star

Three men were cited for misdemeanor vandalism after destroying Black Lives Matter signs in Thousand Oaks. Ventura County Star

Ventura County District Attorney Greg Tottenhas approved filing misdemeanor vandalism charges against two Thousand Oaks men for damage done toa Black Lives Mattersigns in June, authorities said Monday afternoon.

One of the men worked for the Ventura County Sheriff's Office at the time.

The sign, which read "BLM," signifying Black Lives Matter, had been posted in late May on private property in Thousand Oaks, according tothe DA's office. It hung from the rear fence of a private home facing Westlake Boulevard and was defaced or destroyed multiple times.

On June 13, Darrin Stone, 60, cut down thesignand carried it away, prosecutors said. The sign was at least the second such bannerdisplayed on the fencedue to previous vandalism. On June 19, Stone cut down the third BLM sign placedon the private fence and carried it off, according to the DA's release.

At the time, Stone was a civilian employee of the sheriff's office who supervised jailinmates. When hisactions were caught on surveillance video, sheriff's detectives recognized him, authorities reportedin June. He was placed on administrative leave at the time.

Stone no longer works for the sheriff's office, said Capt. Eric Buschow, a spokesman for the agency,in an email Monday evening.

Stone has agreed to participate in the DA's misdemeanor diversion program, prosecutors said. If he successfully completes the program, the vandalism charge will not be filed with the court, authorities said.

A second Thousand Oaks man who defaced the sign with spray paint on June 11 also facesa misdemeanor vandalism charge under the same diversion program, Totten's office said. That man, 58, had stopped in his work truck in front of the signand sprayed an "A" over the "B," authorities previously reported. He was tracked down by the company name and numberon histruck.

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The Star generally does not publish names of people arrested or charged solely with misdemeanor offenses. In some cases, including incidents involving public employees or law enforcement personnel, editors choose to publish names, which are a matter of public record.

When the arrests of Stone and the private-sector employee were originally announced in June, a third Thousand Oaks man, Craig Anderson, then 59 and a non-sworn investigative assistant with the DA's office,had also been arrested on suspicion of defacing the sign. Andersonhad reportedly cut the signdown on May 31 and, after noticing the camera,left it at the scene, according to the June announcement.

Anderson was not mentioned in Monday's release.His case had been referred to the Attorney General's office as a matter of DA policy, authoritiespreviously said.

He had resigned from the DA's office by the time his arrest was announced. As of Monday, he was still not employed by the DA's office, according to Ashley Bautista, a spokeswoman for the county.

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On Friday, Totten's office announced a similar outcome for acase that cropped up in July during a protest in Ventura.

The misdemeanor diversion program started in 2017 and is offered to those with minimal or no criminal history who are facing certain low-level misdemeanors, according to the DA release. It is meant to reduce recidivism by providingeducation and rehabilitation to those who are eligible.

It provides offenders the opportunity to complete rehabilitative classes and pay restitution in lieu of formal prosecution. All cases are reviewed by an attorney to determine if there is proof beyond a reasonable doubt to prove the alleged criminal charge, according to Totten's office.

Gretchen Wenner covers breaking news for the Ventura County Star. Reach her at gretchen.wenner@vcstar.com or 805-437-0270.

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Vandalism charges OK'd for damage to Black Lives Matter sign in Thousand Oaks - VC Star