A 30-year-old man who sprayed graffiti onto electronic speed-limit signs above Interstate 84 in Northeast Portland has been sentenced to two years in prison.

When Marcus Edward Gunther is released from prison, he also must attend five years of a drug-treatment court, known as START, to address his problems with methamphetamine and heroin. Gunther also will have to pay about $30,000 for the damage he caused.

Gunther was a prolific tagger -- leaving his mark in at least 100 locations across the city, said Brent Weisberg, a spokesman for the Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office. Police were familiar with Gunther’s signature: “MOOK”.

Portland police released this photo of electronic speed-limit signs that they say Marcus Gunther damaged at I-84 and the NE 42nd Avenue overpass.

Gunther was charged with damaging the property of a billboard advertising company and a property management company, as well as spray-painting the electronic signs owned by the Oregon Department of Transportation on the 42nd Avenue overpass at I-84. Authorities say he also damaged some fencing near the I-84 signs that same day, on June 29.

Gunther was arrested in September and told jailers that he used methamphetamine and heroin twice a week. He said he’d been unemployed for the past year and lived with his parents less than a mile north of the freeway.

During a hearing Friday in Multnomah County Circuit Court, Gunther pleaded guilty to four counts of first-degree criminal mischief and one count of second-degree criminal mischief.

Senior Deputy District Attorney Nathan Vasquez said in a news release that the sentence holds Gunther accountable while ensuring he gets treatment, “which will benefit him and our entire community.”

Defense attorney Jon Martz said “the sentence strikes a balance between punishing the behavior and offering services to try and reduce the chances of further criminal activity.”

-- Aimee Green

agreen@oregonian.com

o_aimee

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