WASHINGTON — U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro announced Friday that her office filed two felony charges against Melissa L. Farris, who allegedly vandalized the World War II Memorial on the National Mall. Pirro is also pressing to keep Farris behind bars until a detention hearing scheduled in Washington next week.
Farris allegedly struck the memorial Thursday night, according to the Justice Department. The two charges carry combined penalties of up to 10 years in prison.
"Vandalizing our World War II Memorial is a despicable attack on a sacred monument honoring the Americans who fought and died for our freedom," Pirro said. "Those Americans include my father and grandfather. This morning, we are filing two felony charges against Melissa L. Farris, offenses that carry penalties of up to ten years in prison. She is now in custody."
The charges fall under depredation against property of the United States, a federal offense covering willful destruction or damage of government-owned monuments and property. The National Mall and Memorial Parks, including the World War II Memorial, are administered by the National Park Service, making any vandalism there a federal matter handled by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia.
Pirro's push to detain Farris ahead of trial goes beyond what is typical in property-damage cases. Pretrial detention in vandalism matters is relatively rare; prosecutors generally reserve detention requests for defendants who pose flight risks or dangers to the community. Pirro's office has nonetheless argued Farris should remain jailed pending the hearing, an aggressive posture on what is, at its core, a property crime.
The World War II Memorial sits on the National Mall between the Lincoln Memorial and the Washington Monument. Dedicated in 2004, it commemorates the roughly 16 million Americans who served in the armed forces during World War II and the more than 400,000 who died. It is one of the most visited memorials in Washington.
Pirro, a former New York judge and television personality, was appointed U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia by President Trump. Her handling of this case fits a pattern her office has maintained: pursuing maximum charges and pretrial detention in cases involving damage to federal property or monuments, particularly those tied to political demonstrations or protests.
The detention hearing is set for next week in Washington. A federal magistrate judge will weigh whether Farris poses a flight risk or a danger sufficient to justify keeping her jailed before trial. If the judge orders release, Pirro's office will face a decision on whether to appeal.
The felony charges distinguish this case from the misdemeanor route federal prosecutors sometimes take with first-time vandalism defendants. A felony conviction carries not only the potential 10-year sentence but also lasting consequences including loss of voting rights and barriers to employment — facts Pirro's critics have cited in arguing the charges are disproportionate to the underlying conduct.
Pirro has not said publicly what form the alleged vandalism took — whether it involved paint, graffiti, physical damage to the stone or bronze, or another method. The Justice Department identified Thursday night as the time of the alleged incident without elaborating on the nature or extent of the damage.
