A 45-year-old man was sentenced to two years in prison for using a chainsaw to cut down trees in the downtown Los Angeles area last year.
Samuel Patrick Groft pleaded no contest to nine felony counts of vandalism and two misdemeanor counts of vandalism at his Los Angeles County Superior Court hearing on Wednesday.
The charges involve 13 trees that were cut between April 13 and April 19, including one that had a limb chopped off.
Felled trees lying in the road and walkways left many in the DTLA community baffled and outraged as to who and why anyone would want to go out of their way to chop the trees down.
Los Angeles Police Department investigators homed in on the suspect, a man caught on surveillance footage wearing all black and riding a BMX-style bike.
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Surveillance footage of Sameul Groft, which led to his identification and arrest for tree vandalism. Los Angeles Police Department
Police identified the suspect as Groft, who was arrested on April 22, in the same clothing, same bicycle, and with a chainsaw in his possession at a nearby park encampment. They had said earlier that he has a criminal record and is homeless.
Authorities have estimated that there was nearly $350,000 in damage.
The street tree superintendent for the city of Los Angeles testified earlier that he estimated damage at just under $175,000 for trees on city-owned property, while trees damaged on private property were separately assessed.
Earlier testimony revealed that three juniper trees, estimated at $10,000 each, were cut down on April 14 in front of a downtown Los Angeles business. The business owner provided surveillance footage showing the suspect holding a chainsaw and cutting down trees while wearing black gloves.
"What took years to grow only took minutes to destroy,'' District Attorney Nathan Hochman said in a statement after the case was filed last year.
Nearly a month after the trees were hacked, city leaders and community partners gathered for a tree replanting ceremony. City Councilmember Ysabel Jurado led the ceremony and said the trees will be replaced two to one. "Anytime DTLA has had a downturn, it comes back stronger," she said.
Los Angeles Bureau of Street Services General Manager Ana Tabuena-Ruddy called it an instance of eco-terrorism. "We are planting Oak trees, Desert Willows, Catalina Cherry, and in locations we couldn't plant natives, we are identifying drought-tolerant trees to plant," Tabuena-Ruddy said**.**