Bail set at $10K for 2 who allegedly vandalized 'The Bean,' Maggie Daley Park; 5 others charged
CHICAGO (WLS) -- Two men accused of vandalizing "The Bean" in Millennium Park and the Cancer Survivors' Garden at Maggie Daley Park were ordered held on $10,000 bail on Thursday.
Tino Guzman and Rey Ortega, both 20 years old, appeared in bond court Thursday afternoon. They each face a felony charge of criminal damage to government property and a misdemeanor count of criminal trespassing.
Angel Diaz, 20, Robert Rickard, 20, Chastity Guzman, 21, and Guadalupe Carrillo, 20, have each been charged with a misdemeanor count of trespassing. A 17-year-old boy was cited for being in the park after hours.
'The Bean' in Millennium Park, Maggie Daley Park spray-painted by vandals
Police said the suspects spray-painted "The Bean" with gang graffiti and then spray-painted Maggie Daley Park. After officers arrived at about 11:58 p.m. Monday night, the seven suspects were taken into custody after being identified by park security, police said.
Cook County Assistant State's Attorney Jeannine Guzolek outlined the case in court Thursday.
WATCH: Here's what it takes to clean the Bean
Guzolek said Ortega and three male friends drove to the area on Monday at 11:21 p.m. All of them got out of the car, and two of them were holding spray paint cans, Guzolek said.
"Defendant Ortega exited the vehicle with a black shirt around his neck and a spray paint can in his hand. POD cameras show defendant Ortega spray paint into the air," Guzolek said.
The men first stopped at Maggie Daley Park. Additional POD video shows the group expanding to as many as eight people. Guzolek said they spray painted several items at Maggie Daley, including parts of the Cancer Survivors' Garden.
Prosecutors said the group walked to Millennium Park from Maggie Daley Park, where they allegedly spray painted "The Bean." At that point, two off-duty security guards witnessed more vandalism, Guzolek said.
"The witness saw defendants Ortega and Guzman spray paint the three benches near the exit at Millennium Park. The witness positively identified defendants Ortega and Guzman by their clothing and show up as the two males who spray painted the benches," she said.
Kal Issa, Guzman and Ortega's attorney, spoke to reporters after the hearing. He said he doesn't think the public should "jump to conclusions" despite the compelling evidence laid out by prosecutors.
"I don't think there should be any rush to judgement or any vigilante justice until, again, everyone has their day in court," he said. "And I think today, of all days, that's really important to remember - this is the Fourth of July."
Judge David Navarro said he will recommend that the men be placed on electronic monitoring if they are able to post bond.
WATCH: Crews remove graffiti off "The Bean"
"The Bean," officially named "Cloud Gate," cost millions of dollars to build and has been part of Millennium Park for 15 years. "The Bean" is made from 168 steel plates. Fabrication started in 2002 and took more than two years to complete.
The stainless-steel skin was attached to the internal structure of "The Bean." That allows it to expand and contract during Chicago's extreme weather shifts.
