Melissa L. Farris Charged With Depredation Against U.S. Property, Destruction of a Veterans' Memorial
Charges were announced on August 14, 2026. The U.S. Park Police investigated. The case is at the charging stage, and the allegations are untested.
3 reports on this incident · first at Aug 16, 2026, 5:06 p.m. ET
This case is not concluded. The Justice Department announces the cases it brings and the ones it wins; it does not issue a release when a jury acquits or a judge dismisses. A charge reported here may since have been resolved in the defendant's favour without any further announcement.
We last searched for new coverage of this at Aug 17, 2026, 9:08 p.m. ET — checked 12h ago.
Charges were announced on August 14, 2026 against Melissa L. Farris, who is also identified in the record as Melissa Farris.
The counts recorded are "depredation against property of the U.S." and "destruction of a veterans' memorial." The same two counts appear elsewhere in the record in alternate phrasings: "depredation against the property of the United States," "depredation against property of the United States," and "destruction of veterans' memorials." The variations are reproduced here exactly as they appear rather than standardized, because the record does not indicate which wording is the operative one.
The U.S. Park Police investigated.
The case is at the charging stage. Nothing has been decided. The counts are allegations only, and Farris is untried and presumed innocent unless and until she is proven guilty.
Several things a reader would reasonably want are not established by the material available for this report, and so are not stated: the specific conduct alleged, the judicial district in which the charges were brought, the maximum penalty on conviction, the identity of the official or office that announced the charges, and whether Farris has entered a plea or is represented by counsel. This account will be updated if those particulars are documented.
Earlier reports
Aug 16, 2026, 5:24 p.m. ET
Melissa L. Farris Charged in World War II Memorial Vandalism
On August 14, 2026, U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro of the U.S. Attorney's Office in Washington, D.C., announced federal charges against Melissa L. Farris in connection with the vandalism of the World War II Memorial, according to reporting by kjlhradio.com. The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Park Police. The matter remains at the charging stage and is undecided.
According to kjlhradio.com, Farris faces charges of depredation against property of the U.S. and destruction of a veterans' memorial, which carry a statutory maximum sentence of up to ten years in prison. Charges are allegations, and the defendant is untried and presumed innocent.
Prosecutors allege that Farris vandalized the memorial, where red paint was dumped onto the walls and floor of the Atlantic pavilion and a substance poured into the fountain caused it to bubble, kjlhradio.com reported. According to the complaint, a witness photographed Farris apparently spray painting the memorial before she fled, and authorities stated that social media videos included one in which she admits to damaging the memorial.
Aug 16, 2026, 5:06 p.m. ETFirst report
Woman Charged in World War II Memorial Vandalism Case
Federal prosecutors announced charges on Aug. 14, 2026, against Melissa L. Farris in connection with the vandalism of the World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C., according to KJLH Radio. The case remains open and developing.\n\nFarris was charged with depredation against property of the United States and destruction of a veterans' memorial, offences that carry a statutory maximum of up to ten years in prison, KJLH Radio reported. The case is currently at the charging stage and remains undecided. The charges are allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in court.\n\nAccording to the complaint reported by KJLH Radio, prosecutors allege a witness photographed Farris apparently spray painting the memorial before she fled, red paint was dumped onto the walls and floor of the Atlantic pavilion, and a substance poured into the fountain caused it to bubble. Authorities said social media videos included one in which Farris admits to damaging the memorial. The U.S. Park Police investigated the case alongside U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro of the U.S. Attorney's Office in Washington, D.C.
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Sources
- World War II Memorial vandalized, fountain full of bubblesnbcwashington.com
- Woman arrested in World War II Memorial vandalismnbcwashington.com
- Pirro announces arrest in WWII Memorial vandalism | Radio Free 102.3 KJLHkjlhradio.com
- Woman arrested for allegedly vandalizing war memorial in DC — and Pirro says it's personal | Blaze Mediatheblaze.com
Revision history
- Version 317 Aug 2026, 17:19
Updated conduct, district, and penalty details to incorporate reporting from nbcwashington.com alongside all sources.
- Version 217 Aug 2026, 20:44current
Updated to report conflicting details on alleged conduct and statutory maximum sentence between kjlhradio.com and theblaze.com.
- Version 116 Aug 2026, 21:11
First published.
- Version 116 Aug 2026, 21:06current
First published.
- Version 116 Aug 2026, 21:24current
First published.
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