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Local graffiti artist Cristian Gheorghiu, known by his "tag" name "Smear," was arrested yesterday after Los Angeles County Sheriff's deputies conducted a search of his home on Tuesday. Gheorghiu is the focus of a unique injunction being sought by City Attorney Carmen Trutanich, who wants to bar the artist from selling his artwork that bears his tagging name.Deputies "seized markers, stickers, wheat-paste posters, art prints and a copy of Tuesday's Times," from inside Gheorghiu's East Hollywood home, reports LA Now. The newspaper included a profile of Gheorghiu. The artist says they also took his computer and some of his artwork.
Gheorghiu was not at his home during Tuesday's search, but "was ordered to surrender to deputies for an alleged probation violation related to possession of vandalism tools." His attorney "said deputies told him they planned to show that Gheorghiu's possession of graffiti tools was a violation of his probation and also merited new charges."
