A young man arrested on drug charges but described as a prolific graffiti vandal has been charged with a dozen felony counts of vandalism, authorities said Tuesday.

Nicolas Palma, 19, of Newhall was booked at the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station Monday on felony charges of possession of a controlled substance, a sheriff’s spokesman said Monday.

On Tuesday, he appeared in San Fernando Superior Court on suspicion of committing 13 felonies.

According to a copy of the criminal complaint sworn out against him by Los Angeles County District Attorney’s office prosecutors, Palma is accused of 12 counts of vandalism resulting in damage exceeding $400.

“We’re estimating that through the city’s (graffiti) abatement program for cleaning it up that it’s about $40,000 in cleanup costs,” Detective Dean Curry of the Santa Clarita Valley sheriff’s anti-gang task force said of the damage Palma is suspected of committing.

Detectives have said he’s believed to have committed 160 acts of graffiti vandalism.

Palma was served with a search warrant Monday and arrested after deputies reportedly found methamphetamine in his possession, Deputy Josh Dubin said.

Prior to the vandalism charges, he was booked on the felony of possession of a controlled substance.

jholt@the-signal.com
661-287-5527
on Twitter @jamesarthurholt