Daño a propiedades y monumentos en Virginia

Explicación Simple

Si alguien rompe o daña algo que no le pertenece, como un banco o un monumento, puede meterse en problemas. Dependiendo del daño, podría recibir una multa o incluso ir a la cárcel.

Es como si un amigo rompe tu juguete sin querer. Si lo hace a propósito, se siente mal y podría tener que reemplazarlo o pedir disculpas.

Ejemplo Práctico

Imagínate que Juan, un estudiante, decide graffitear un monumento en su ciudad. Como el daño es menor a $1,000, podría enfrentarse a un cargo de falta y, si el dueño del monumento recibe el pago por los daños, el cargo podría ser desestimado.

Penalidades

Multa o cárcel, dependiendo del daño; hasta un delito menor clase 1 o un delito mayor clase 6 si el daño supera $1,000.

Texto Original del Estatuto (Inglés)

Va. Code § 18.2-137 - Injuring, etc., any property, monument, etc. A. If any person unlawfully destroys, defaces, damages, or removes without the intent to steal any property, real or personal, not his own, or breaks down, destroys, defaces, damages, or removes without the intent to steal, any monument or memorial for war veterans, not his own, described in § 15.2-1812 ; any monument erected to mark the site of any engagement fought during the Civil War, or any memorial to designate the boundaries of any city, town, tract of land, or any tree marked for that purpose, he shall be guilty of a Class 3 misdemeanor, provided that the court may, in its discretion, dismiss the charge if the locality or organization that owns or is responsible for maintaining the injured property, monument, or memorial files a written affidavit with the court stating it has received full payment for the injury. B. If any person who is not the owner of such property intentionally causes such injury, he is guilty of (i) a Class 1 misdemeanor if the value of or damage to the property, memorial, or monument is less than $1,000 or (ii) a Class 6 felony if the value of or damage to the property, memorial, or monument is $1,000 or more. The amount of loss caused by the destruction, defacing, damage, or removal of such property, memorial, or monument may be established by proof of the fair market cost of repair or fair market replacement value. Upon conviction, the court may order that the defendant pay restitution. Code 1950, § 18.1-172; 1960, c. 358; 1975, cc. 14, 15, 598; 1990, c. 933; 1999, c. 625 ; 2020, cc. 1100 , 1101 .