Kentucky Resident Charged With Two Federal Felonies, Including Destruction of Veterans' Memorials
Melissa L. Farris faces charges of depredation against property of the United States and destruction of veterans' memorials, brought by the U.S. Attorney for D.C. following a U.S. Park Police investigation. The offenses carry penalties of up to 10 years in prison.
3 reports on this incident · first at Aug 18, 2026, 7:10 a.m. ET
Earlier reports
Aug 19, 2026, 2:39 p.m. ET
Kentucky Resident Faces Two Federal Felony Charges, Including Destruction of Veterans' Memorials
Melissa L. Farris, a Kentucky resident, faces two felony charges: depredation against property of the United States and destruction of veterans' memorials.
The charging district is the U.S. Attorney for D.C. The U.S. Park Police is the investigating agency.
The offenses carry penalties of up to 10 years in prison.
The case is at the charging stage. Charges are allegations only. Farris is presumed innocent unless and until she is proven guilty, and nothing in the case has been decided.
Two things a reader would reasonably want are not established in the record behind this report and so are not stated here: the date on which the charges were announced, and the conduct alleged against Farris — including when or where it is said to have taken place, or what property is said to have been involved.
Aug 18, 2026, 7:10 a.m. ETFirst report
Kentucky Woman Charged Over World War II Memorial Vandalism
On August 14, 2026, the U.S. Attorney for D.C. announced federal charges against Melissa L. Farris, of Kentucky, following an investigation by the U.S. Park Police into vandalism at the World War II Memorial on the National Mall. The developing case remains open.
Authorities say Farris livestreamed herself as she spray-painted the memorial, which was found defaced by spray-paint with bubbles overflowing from a fountain, according to NBC Washington.
Farris is charged with depredation against property of the United States and destruction of veterans' memorials. The offenses carry statutory penalties of up to 10 years in prison. Because the proceeding is at the charging stage, the charges are allegations, Farris is presumed innocent, and the matter remains undecided.
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- Version 119 Aug 2026, 18:39current
First published.
- Version 118 Aug 2026, 11:10current
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- Version 119 Aug 2026, 19:29current
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