Middletown Man Charged With Leaving Anti-Police Graffiti

MIDDLETOWN, NJ — A Middletown man has been arrested in connection with a months-long investigation into the anti-police graffiti that keeps appearing in the Oak Hill section of the Township.

Charles J. Traina, 20, of Middletown, was arrested by Detective First Class Daniel Sullivan and Detective Keith Hirschbein, Middletown police announced Thursday.

Middletown police said Traina, after he was arrested, admitted to detectives that he was the person responsible for the graffiti. He was charged with one count of criminal mischief in the fourth degree and subsequently released on a summons complaint.

The graffiti first began appearing on August 24, seen on the street, sidewalks and on several utility boxes on Howland Road, Lyon Road and other streets in Oak Hill. The graffiti was political, consisting of anti-police and anti-Middletown Township messages.

As Patch reported, the graffiti read BLM and ACAB, which stands for Black Lives Matter and All Cops Are Bad or All Cops Are Bastards. Tags were also left reading "Smash Racism," F*** ICE and "Bootlicker." Other graffiti showed the anarchy symbol and FTP, which stands for "F*** the police;" the second tag read "We See U, Pigs" with a picture of an eye.

Middletown Public Works crews kept removing the graffiti, but Traina would return and write "more hateful messages," said police.

In one of the taggings, police said Traina taunted them, painting “come get me MPD.”

On Pelican Road, someone also wrote "WLM 2," which stands for White Lives Matter, written in white spray paint. It is unclear who left that tagging.

“Unfortunately, this incident is a reflection of the turmoil and lack of civility often occurring in our society during these very difficult times," said Middletown Police Chief R. Craig Weber. "We need to be more respectful towards one another and remember that there is so much more that unites us than divides us. It is important to balance exercising our rights without inciting or resorting to violence, or defacing and destroying property. Actions such as those are never acceptable, and those who engage in this type of criminal activity will be held accountable.”

“I’d like to thank the Middletown Township Police Department for its thorough investigation ending in the arrest of Mr. Traina,” said Mayor Tony Perry. “Not only did his cowardly act cost the taxpayers unnecessary expense, it placed an unfortunate stain on an otherwise peaceful area of the Township.”

Initial Patch report: Middletown Hit By Anti-Police And White Lives Matter Graffiti (Aug. 24)

Middletown Again Hit By Anti-Police Graffiti, In Same Area (Sept. 9)

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