A Kentucky woman has been indicted on two federal counts for vandalizing the World War II Memorial in Washington D.C., according to an announcement Friday from U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro.
Melissa Farris, 41, of Elizabethtown, Kentucky, was charged with one count of destruction of a veterans’ memorial and one count of destruction of government property. The indictment was handed down by a grand jury on Thursday. Each count carries a potential penalty of up to 10 years in prison.
A hearing for Farris is scheduled for September 3, 2026. "The World War II Memorial stands as a lasting tribute to the courage of 16 million Americans who served during World War II and the ultimate sacrifice of the 405,399 who gave their lives defending our nation and the freedoms we hold dear. Defacing it is an affront to their service and sacrifice," Pirro stated. "We will use every tool available under federal law to ensure this conduct is met with justice."
On August 13, an individual reportedly dumped bubble soap into a fountain at the memorial and spray-painted the message "Clean Hands Dirty $" in red graffiti. According to the criminal complaint, Farris posted several videos to Facebook under the name Melissa Lovewell, including one where she admitted to "damaging" the fountain. In one clip, she stated, "I am cognitively aware and executively (sic) of the choices I am making and I am doing so to push my whistleblower case into the courtroom."
In another video, she remarked, "I was just allowed to deface Federal f—ing property, and nobody batted an eye, and that is very strange." The government claims that the vandalism caused more than $1,000 in damages to the historic site.
Recent months have seen repeated incidents of vandalism on the National Mall. The incident at the World War II Memorial followed alleged vandalism to the liner coating the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool. In June, chemicals were used to burn "86 47" onto the Washington Monument's lawn, a message interpreted as a jab at former President Donald Trump. Charges were previously dismissed against David Hearn, a former Olympic canoeist accused of vandalizing the reflecting pool liner, after evidence indicated the sealant was already damaged due to contractor installation flaws. No charges have been filed in connection with the "86 47" incident.
