Graffiti Artist ‘Kiko’ Arraigned

A 27-year-old Manhattan resident, one of New York City’s more notorious graffiti taggers — “KIKO” — has been arraigned on charges of extensively vandalizing public and private property in the Astoria and Long Island City sections of Queens County.
District Attorney Richard A. Brown said, “The defendant has been arraigned on numerous counts of defacing Queens property. Allegedly armed with cans of spray paint, the defendant is accused of cutting a wide swath of vandalism through the heart of Queens County that left in its wake more than $5,750 in damages to personal and public properties belonging to Saint Demetrios Greek American School, Athens Square Park, the Metropolitan Transit Authority and individual homeowners.
“Among the surfaces allegedly ‘tagged’ by the defendant were overpasses, trucks, walls, gates, garage doors, roof shingles and even trees.”
The defendant has been identified as Oliver Siandre, 27, a/k/a “KIKO,” of 100 West 92 Street in Manhattan, a jewelry model maker. He was arraigned on a 30-count indictment with three counts of criminal mischief in the second degree, five counts of criminal mischief in the third degree, five counts of criminal mischief in the fourth degree, fifteen counts of making graffiti and two counts of possession of graffiti instruments and ordered held in $25,000 bail. If convicted, he faces up to seven years in prison. His return date is April 6, 2006.
The district attorney said that, according to the charges, between October 1, 2004 and December 5, 2005, the defendant spray painted his tag name “KIKO” on various public and private properties in Queens County — including a wall at St. Demetrios Greek American School, located at 30-03 30th Drive in Astoria; a pillar, a tree and the ground inside Athens Square Park, located at 30th Avenue and 30th Street in Astoria; the garage door of the Powhatan Regular Democratic Club, located at 41-05 Newton Road in Long Island City; and a Metropolitan Transit Authority overpass.
“Graffiti is a symptom of criminality and negatively affects the quality of life of all citizens through decreased property values, increased taxes and a financial burden on affected businesses and homes,” said Brown. “City officials and anti-graffiti activists have done a remarkable job over the years in cleaning up New York City’s image as a graffiti-scarred city. We cannot allow one individual to mar the beauty of our city and threaten to return us to the days when our transit system and our highways and buildings were covered with graffiti.”