Charges Filed Against Billboard Properties Off 110 Fwy

Photo by Omar Omar via Flickr

Continuing the saga of fighting the thousands of illegal billboards in Los Angeles (to catch up on the controversy, watch this video), City Attorney Rocky Delgadillo today filed criminal charges against three property owners along the 110 Freeway near the LA Live/Staples Center area today for erecting illegal billboard support structures (see the map here). A construction company also was charged.

"Timothy McDaniel, owner of construction company McDaniel Inc., and three separate property owners; Austin Family Associates, LLC, Plumbers Union Local No. 78, and West Hollywood Properties, LLC, were each charged with one count of construction without permits, one count of placing or altering a sign without a permit and one count of erecting a sign without first securing all required permits and licenses," the City Attorney's Office said in a release. "McDaniel was also charged with failing to obey an order of the Department of Building and Safety to discontinue construction."

The case stems from last Saturday when complaints prompted city inspectors to check out the properties eventually ordering work to be halted. What they found were work crews, trucks and cranes installing support structures. A follow up on Tuesday and Wednesday of this week found that at two of the locations, construction continued, despite the stop-work orders. If convicted, each count can carry up to six months in jail and/or a $1,000 fine. An arraignment for each of the defendants is scheduled for January 21st.