PORTERVILLE, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) - A gang member was arrested Thursday after allegedly tagging a church in Porterville, causing over $1,000 in damage, the Porterville Police Department announced. Police say Nov. 14 at 8 p.m. an officer was patrolling a church in the 1900 block of west Henderson Avenue that had recently been vandalized with gang-related graffiti. During their patrol, the officer reported fresh graffiti on the church property's concrete of gang-related symbols and the moniker of the suspect. The damage to the property was estimated to exceed $1,000. On Thursday, Dec. 19, detectives took over the investigation and identified the person responsible for the graffiti as 19-year-old Alexander Escalera of Porterville. Escalera is described as a documented criminal street gang member who was on county probation for his involvement in an armed robbery that occurred in 2023. Teens hid gun in toddler’s room after Porterville robbery, police say Around 3:45 p.m. that day, investigators say they contacted Escalera at his home in the 100 block of west School Avenue. In accordance with his probation terms detectives searched Escalera's home and found additional evidence linking him to the vandalism at the church. Police say Escalera was booked on suspicion of felony vandalism. Anyone with additional information related to this case is asked to contact the Porterville Police Department at 559-782-7400.