Three Western students were indicted on Oct. 22 by a Warren County grand jury on multiple charges, including charges of spray-painting buildings and drug charges, according to Warren County Circuit Court records.

Two of the three have been arrested.

The arrests stem from an investigation into thousands of dollars in damage caused by graffiti around the city, said Barry Pruitt, public information officer for the Bowling Green Police Department.

BGPD created a special task force of plain-clothes officers who worked evening and late night hours to look into the increase in graffiti damage around the city, Pruitt said.

BGPD worked with Louisville Metro Police Department in the investigation, according to a police report.

Bowling Green police learned of two known graffiti artists in the area, Western students Ian Muldoon and Chad Hoerni, while on graffiti detail, according to a police report.

Muldoon’s most common tags are “KM,” “JIGL” and variations of those, the report stated. Hoerni’s common tags are “SEAP” and “KM.”

“KM” stands for Knook Mafia, a group formed by Muldoon and Hoerni, according to the report.

There have been several reports of “KM” tagging in buildings at Western.

Officers located vehicles known to be driven by Hoerni and Muldoon, the report stated. Police eventually impounded Hoerni’s black BMW and found several cases of spray paint in the trunk.

Police found 155 cans of spray paint and two marijuana plants in Muldoon and Western student Andrew Sullivan’s Kentucky Street house, the report stated. Two respirator masks, 10 one-gallon cans of spray paint and several spray can nozzles were also found.

The arrests should cause a tremendous decrease in graffiti damage, Pruitt said.

Hoerni, Avenue of Champions, was charged with four counts of first-degree criminal mischief, second-degree criminal mischief, two counts of third-degree criminal mischief, possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Muldoon, Kentucky Street, was charged with four counts of first-degree criminal mischief, second-degree criminal mischief, two counts of third-degree criminal mischief, second-degree cultivating marijuana, possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Sullivan, Kentucky Street, was charged with first-degree criminal mischief, second-degree criminal trespass, possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Two other arrests have been made in the investigation. Hideyosi Keogh, a Bowling Green resident, was released from Warren County Regional Jail two days after his arrest on Oct. 6 on a $7,500 bond.

The other person arrested was a minor.

Hoerni was arrested on Oct. 23. He was released the same day on a $2,500 bond.

Muldoon was arrested Monday and was released the same day on a $5,000 bond.

Sullivan hadn’t been taken into custody as of yesterday afternoon.

Reach Michelle Day at news@chherald.com.