A federal grand jury in Washington, D.C. has indicted Melissa L. Farris, 41, of Elizabethtown, Kentucky, on two felony counts in connection with a vandalism incident at the World War II Memorial on August 13.

The indictment charges Farris with one count of destruction of a veterans’ memorial and one count of destruction of government property. Each count carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. Farris is scheduled to appear September 3 before U.S. District Judge Trevor N. McFadden.

According to a criminal complaint filed on August 14, U.S. Park Police and park rangers responded around 2 p.m. to a report of a disorderly person at the memorial on the National Mall after a witness reported seeing a woman spray-painting the Atlantic Theatre Pavilion. A ranger then observed foam in the fountain of the Atlantic pavilion and saw the woman recording herself as others gathered. The suspect ultimately fled after the ranger arrived on scene.

Graffiti included the phrase “Clean Hands Dirty $” along with additional paint on granite surfaces, while soap was placed in the monuments fountains. Clean-up of the monument took several hours and exceeded $1,000 in costs.

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Melissa L. Farris – a.k.a. – Melissa Lovewell

Full live video while vandalizing WWII memorial in Washington DC.

Watch the full show, she's nutty! pic.twitter.com/chD4mFVaCJ

— kentuckyoffgrid (@Kentuckyoffgrid) August 14, 2026

Farris had been arrested August 10 for unlawfully camping on nearby federal property. Officers identified her from a witness photograph matching her appearance and from social media accounts she maintained under the name Melissa Lovewell.

Prosecutors noted that Farris livestreamed the August 13 events. “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 . . . someone has to make choices that are different and I am accountable for my actions. I am going to make these choices today and I will step foot into the courtroom and I will wait to be arrested,” she said in one of the videos, according to the complaint.

“I was just allowed to deface Federal f**king property, and nobody batted an eye, and that is very strange,” she said in a follow-up video.

Farris turned herself in August 14 at the federal courthouse in Alexandria, Virginia. A magistrate judge ordered her release August 17 on conditions that included residing with family in Ohio under pretrial supervision, surrendering her passport, and undergoing a mental health evaluation. Prosecutors had sought detention, citing flight-risk concerns.

“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. We will use every tool available under federal law to ensure this conduct is met with justice,” said U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro.

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