By Jim Hagerty
Reporter

ROCKFORD – The man who made local headlines last year for a string of arrests, one for allegedly spray painting the words “Rape” and “Shame” on the GOP headquarters in downtown Rockford was found guilty of that offense.

Timothy Damm, 43, represented himself in court this week before a jury convicted him of criminal defacement of property Wednesday.

The graffiti on the 515 N. Court St building was discovered by a police officer the morning of Sept. 30, 2018. A few hours later, Damm, who lives down the street, spoke to news reporters at the scene and praised the vandalism. He appeared on camera wearing a T-shirt with “9/27/18” printed on the back, a date referring to the Senate hearings on the claims by Christine Blasey Ford that now Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh sexually assaulted her when they were teens. The date was also spray painted on the building.

In the weeks following his arrest for defacing the GOP headquarters, Damm was charged with a string of unrelated crimes including burglary, battery and resisting a police officer.

Criminal defacement of property is a Class 4 felony, punishable by one to three years in prison. Damm is scheduled for sentencing at 1 p.m. Jan. 9.