What are the Penalties for Vandalizing a Mosque or Other House of Worship in Orange County, California?

Posted on March 20, 2016

In December 2015, a 20-year-old man was arrested and is facing criminal charges for vandalizing the parking lot of a Sikh temple in Buena Park, California. Such acts against houses of worship, especially mosques, has been on the uptick over the past year.

Whether it is a mosque, church, synagogue, or any other house of worship, vandalism against such facilities in Orange County, California is treated as a serious offense by prosecutors. The penalties upon conviction can be severe.

California Penal Code Section 594.3 specifically addresses vandalism against houses of worship. This provision of the Penal Code is a “wobbler,” meaning a violation of this section can be prosecuted as either a misdemeanor or a felony.

Section 594.3(a) makes it a crime for an individual to “knowingly commit any act of vandalism to a church, synagogue, mosque, temple, building owned and occupied by a religious educational institution, or other place primarily used as a place of worship where religious services are regularly conducted or a cemetery…”

If a violation of this section is charged as a misdemeanor, upon conviction the penalties can include:

• up to one year in the Orange County Jail,
• a fine of up to $1,000, and
• probation which can involve the following conditions:
  • a California driver’s license suspension of up to two years (or, if you don’t yet have a driver’s license, a 1 to 3-year delay in your eligibility to obtain a driver’s license),
  • required counseling,
  • community service (which may include personally cleaning, repairing, or replacing the damaged property), and/or
  • being tasked with keeping the damaged property or another property in the community “graffiti-free” for up to one year.

If a violation of this section 594.3(a) is charged as a felony, conviction can result in a sentence of:

• incarceration for sixteen 16 months, two (2) years or three (3) years,
• a maximum fine of $10,000, and/or
• the probation conditions listed above

If your act of vandalism is categorized as a “hate crime” — that is, an act committed for the purpose of intimidating or scaring a victim based on the victim’s religious beliefs –then you face an automatic felony sentence pursuant to Penal Code Section 594.3(b).

Charges for vandalizing an Orange County house of worship is a serious offense that can cost you your freedom and your future. Don’t face these charges alone. Give one of our experienced Orange County, California criminal defense attorneys a call today.

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