A 24-year-old lovelorn man has been arrested and charged for spray-painting his tag name more than 20 times over his ex-girlfriend's neighborhood here.
Mohamed Rasul, who goes by the graffiti name 'Sonik,' after the famous Sega video game character, told police that he wanted his ex to see his name everyday so she would never forget him after they split.
"He wanted his name in her face. He wanted her to see his name and never be forgotten," a police source was quoted as saying by New York Daily News.
Sonik's tag was found spray-painted more than 20 times around Richmond Hill, mostly on Liberty Avenue, after his November 17 spree, officials said.
His nickname was sprayed on the walls of businesses and homes, rolled-down shutter gates and utility poles.
Investigators determined Sonik was actually Rasul, who earned his nickname with his wild hair, reminiscent of the famous blue hedgehog from the popular Sega video game.
Police arrested Rasul on Friday.
"Sonik was just not quite fast enough!" Deputy Inspector Jeffrey Schiff, the commanding officer of the 106th Precinct, tweeted on @nypd106Pct after the arrest.
Rasul was charged with 18 counts of making graffiti and criminal mischief and ordered held on USD 2,700 bail during his arraignment in Queens Criminal Court yesterday.
He said nothing during his brief court appearance. His trademark hair was a puffy and unkempt mess, the report said.
He confessed to the graffiti spree, officials said.
"I'm sorry for what I've done," he told police, according to prosecutors. "I was really drunk when I did that and I'm sorry."
Rasul was arrested for slashing his mother's tyre outside their home in December and for rape in 2009, police said.
But his lawyer said the alleged tagging spree would be out of character for Rasul.
"He has no history of doing this," lawyer Eugene Sarchiapone said after Rasul's arraignment.
"It was an argument and alcohol - at least that's what they're charging.
