Tagger Charged with Hate Crime for San Carlos Vandalism

San Diego County District Attorney Summer Stephan announced hate crime charges today against a 20-year-old man for a series of graffiti incidents in the Lake Murray area last month that left multiple vehicles, fences, walls, and a residence spray painted with hate language, including swastikas, the N-word, and a racist and derogatory term in Spanish.

Eli S. Peralta was arraigned today and pleaded not guilty to four felony counts including using terrorizing symbols on private property and vandalism. If convicted he faces five years in local custody.

“The felony charges my office filed should make it clear that hate crimes are taken very seriously in San Diego County,” DA Stephan said. “Vandalizing someone’s property with swastikas and racist slurs is more than an act of vandalism. It is an act intended to intimidate, demean, and cause fear. That is not what we stand for in this community. We will stand with victims, hold those responsible accountable, and make clear that hate and intimidation have no place here.”

The tagging incidents took place between September 9 and 10 in a 5-block radius of the Lake Murray neighborhood. The cumulative total damage is about $14,000.

Peralta committed these acts with another person. Anyone with information on the second suspect is encouraged to contact San Diego Police.

The District Attorney’s Office has a dedicated Hate Crimes Unit. In 2025 we filed hate crimes against 14 adult offenders. Ten were race based, three were religion-based and one was gender based.

Peralta will next be in court on October 9 for a readiness hearing. He is out of custody and must stay away from all vandalism locations and not possess vandalism tools.

Deputy District Attorney Mei Owen of the Hate Crimes Unit is prosecuting this case.