Three jailed, accused of graffiti on nine downtown businesses

Merced police arrested three men Tuesday night in connection with a string of vandalism in downtown Merced.

In total, nine businesses or properties were tagged with gang graffiti, police reported.

Police received reports of men tagging near 501 W. Main St. about 11 p.m. Tuesday. Arriving officers saw two people running through Bob Hart Square. Other officers, at the parking lot near Cue Spot Billiards, saw the two men get into a burgundy GMC pickup truck, Sgt. Tony Aponte reported.

Officers stopped the truck and arrested the three occupants, who had spray paint on their fingers. The officers also found spray paint in the truck.

Christian Vivero, 19, Enrique Vivero, 23, and Fabian Vivero, 27, all were jailed on nine counts of vandalism, conspiracy and participation in a criminal street gang. Christian and Fabian Vivero remained jailed Wednesday each on $65,000 bond. Fabian Vivero has a long criminal history, including previous vandalism sentences along with violation of probation and DUI-related charges. Enrique Vivero also was jailed twice in the past for DUI, jail records show.

Police could not confirm the relationship of the men.

The business owners who were affected by the vandalism will have to foot the cleanup bill, said Joey Essig, president of the Merced Main Street Association.

“It is a burden on merchants to have to do that,” Essig said. “In downtown, having a large concentration of small local businesses, the effect is much greater.”

This story was originally published December 9, 2015 at 3:18 PM with the headline "Three jailed, accused of graffiti on nine downtown businesses."