Aguilar

Defendant Christian Aguilar pled no contest to one count of felony vandalism (Pen. Code, § 594, subd. (a)). The trial court ordered defendant to pay restitution in the amount of $475 to the City of Los Angeles (the City), which paid a contractor to remove the graffiti defendant admitted painting. Defendant now contends the restitution order must be vacated because it lacks a factual nexus to the damage caused by his conduct. We disagree and affirm.

BACKGROUND

In a felony complaint filed August 17, 2015, the District Attorney of the County of Los Angeles alleged that defendant caused damage exceeding $400 by painting graffiti on a wall belonging to the Foothill Childhood Development Center, Inc. (§ 594, subd. (a).) Defendant pled no contest to the charge, thereby admitting that he caused damage in excess of $400.

At the subsequent restitution hearing, the prosecution called as its witness Gerry Valido, a graffiti abatement coordinator with the City of Los Angeles Department of Public Works. Valido testified that the graffiti at issue “was profane in nature and anti-police in nature, and it was sprayed in black spray paint across the length of the wall” of a day care…