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The woman accused of vandalizing the World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C., was formally indicted on Friday, Fox News Digital has learned.
Melissa Farris has been charged on two counts, including destruction of a veterans’ memorial and destruction of government property.
The Kentucky woman allegedly spray-painted the words “Clean hands, dirty money,” in bright-pink paint and dumped bubble soap into the fountain at the center of the memorial, according to authorities.
WORLD WAR II MEMORIAL ON NATIONAL MALL VANDALIZED WITH PINK SPRAY; FOUNTAIN OVERFLOWING WITH BUBBLES
Federal prosecutors allege that cleanup and restoration costs already exceeded $1,000.
Farris did a Facebook live before turning herself in and her arrest on Aug. 14, in which she admitted to the alleged vandalism the day before.
“It’s me. I am going to turn myself in,” she said. “I’m outside district federal court. I am just trying to do the right thing … I was trying to get people to listen… I tried to reach the media, I tried to fight back. I tried to ignore it.”
Farris claimed she lived in a paper-thin camper that she “boarded up with cardboard in the winter to feel a little bit warmer.”
Fox News Digital has reached out to the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia for comment.
WWII MEMORIAL VANDALISM SUSPECT IN CUSTODY, CHARGED WITH TWO FELONIES, PIRRO SAYS
U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro said in a statement after Farris was charged: “Vandalizing our World War II Memorial is a despicable attack on a sacred monument honoring the Americans who fought and died for our freedom. Those Americans include my father and grandfather.”
Pirro said the charges carry penalties of up to ten years in prison.
“Our beautiful World War II Memorial was just hit by Spray Painting Vandals,” President Donald Trum wrote earlier this month on Truth Social. “THERE CAN BE NO GREATER INSULT TO THOSE AMERICAN HEROES WHO DIED IN WORLD WAR II. First the Reflecting Pool, now this. We are on their trail! Where do these animals come from???”
Several people, including Olympic canoeist David Hearn, were arrested in June for allegedly vandalzing the newly renovated Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, but the charges were dropped earlier this month.
TRUMP BLAMES VANDALS FOR DEAD GRASS ON NATIONAL MALL WHERE HE HOSTED 4TH OF JULY CELEBRATION
Prosecutors cited evidence indicating the damage may have stemmed from a botched renovation rather than vandalism.
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U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche on Aug. 16 said he “absolutely” supported Pirro’s decision to drop the charges, “as does President Trump,” he told NBC’s “Meet the Press.”
Trump has spoken out against the decision this month, saying he “disagrees 100%” with Pirro’s decision.
Fox News’ Robert McGreevy, Bonny Chu and Ashley J. DiMella contributed to this report.
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