A federal magistrate judge has released the woman accused of spray-painting the World War II Memorial and dumping detergent into its fountain despite prosecutors’ request that she remain behind bars. U.S. Magistrate Judge Matthew J. Sharbaugh ordered 41-year-old Melissa Farris released on personal recognizance Monday. Federal prosecutors called her an “exceptionally high risk of flight” and unsuccessfully asked the judge to reconsider. Farris remains charged with two federal felonies.
The decision came during a hearing in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia following Farris’ arrest last week. An X post drawing attention to the ruling described Sharbaugh as a “far-left judge” and noted that Chief Judge James Boasberg swore him into office in October 2024. Boasberg has become one of the Trump administration’s most prominent judicial opponents through his rulings against its immigration-enforcement actions.
Sharbaugh released Farris without requiring bond, although he imposed several conditions. Farris was ordered to surrender her passport, remain within the continental United States unless the court approves her travel and report to federal pretrial officials in Ohio by August 20th. She must also stay outside Washington, D.C., except for court business, avoid the World War II Memorial and undergo a mental-health screening.
The Justice Department said U.S. Park Police responded to the memorial at approximately 2 p.m. on August 13th after receiving a report about a disorderly person. A witness allegedly saw a woman spray-painting the Atlantic Theatre Pavilion, while a responding ranger found foam filling the fountain. Authorities discovered the words “Clean Hands Dirty $” painted on the wall, along with green paint on the wall and pink paint splattered across the ground. The preliminary cost of cleaning and restoring the memorial exceeded $1,000.
Investigators identified Farris through witness photographs and public videos posted under the name “Melissa Lovewell,” according to the criminal complaint. Before the incident, Farris allegedly said during a livestream that she was acting to push a purported whistleblower case into court and declared, “I am accountable for my actions.” The Associated Press reported that another video showed her saying, “It was me, I’m doing it, it’s on camera.” Her posts framed the incident as political activism directed at government spending and alleged corporate wrongdoing.
U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro charged Farris with depredation against property of the United States and destruction of a veterans’ memorial. “Defacing the World War II Memorial is a disgusting act and an insult to the Americans who fought and died for our country,” Pirro said. The memorial honors 16 million Americans who served during World War II, including more than 400,000 who never returned home.
Prosecutors argued that the release conditions were inadequate because Farris lacked stable housing and meaningful ties to Washington. According to the Washington Examiner’s report, investigators found evidence that she searched for bus and airline tickets on the night of the incident. The government also cited her history of failing to comply with court orders and her August 10th arrest for allegedly camping unlawfully on federal property. Prosecutors argued that the earlier citation did not stop her conduct and that her alleged activity on federal property instead escalated.
"*" indicates required fields
Sharbaugh subsequently denied the government’s motion to reconsider the release, reportedly finding that prosecutors had largely repeated arguments he already rejected. Farris is required to remain under pretrial supervision while the case proceeds. Her preliminary hearing is scheduled for September 3rd, and each of the two charges carries a maximum prison sentence of up to 10 years.