San Francisco, CA – San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins announced today that her office secured a conviction of Steven Gaffney (48), after a trial by jury for vandalizing a laundromat on Ocean Avenue. Mr. Gaffney was convicted of felony vandalism and violating a court order.
“I would like to thank the jury for their service on this trial,” said District Attorney Brooke Jenkins. “This verdict holds Mr. Gaffney accountable for his crimes, while making it clear that San Franciscans will not tolerate vandalism. Vandalism like this impact our residents and small businesses across the city and cannot be tolerated or normalized.”
According to evidence and other testimony presented at trial, on February 2, 2025, Mr. Gaffney unlawfully entered a coin-operated laundromat on the 2000 block of Ocean Avenue violating the terms of a court stay-away order. The owner of the business had previously obtained a Civil Harassment Restraining Order against Mr. Gaffney that prohibited him from coming within 100 yards of the laundromat or its premises. The restraining order was issued after a pattern of documented incidents in which Mr. Gaffney harassed and intimidated customers, engaged in disruptive and threatening behavior, and repeatedly used the laundromat as an unauthorized residence despite numerous warnings and prior law enforcement interventions.
Surveillance footage showed Mr. Gaffney entering the laundromat at approximately 12:24 a.m. At approximately 3:34 a.m., the footage recorded him walking directly toward the wall-mounted coin-exchange machine located near the rear of the laundromat with a long metal tool. The following morning, on February 3, 2025, the owner arrived to open the business and immediately discovered extensive damage to the coin-exchange machine. The machine had been forcibly pried away from its wall mounting, resulting in significant structural damage to both the surrounding drywall and the machine’s heavy-duty metal housing. Tool marks on the drywall and the machine’s exterior were consistent with the repeated application of a metal prying instrument. Although Mr. Gaffney was ultimately unsuccessful in breaching the coin vault and removing any quarters, the attempted theft caused approximately $4,400 in combined repair and replacement costs.
The case against Mr. Gaffney was successfully prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Paul Samra, with assistance from District Attorney Investigator Sammy Kim and paralegal Andres Hernandez. Prosecutors were able to develop this case based on the San Francisco Police Department’s Taraval Station’s thorough investigation and attention to detail.
“I am grateful to the jury for their careful review of the evidence,” said Assistant District Attorney Paul Samra. “This guilty verdict sends a clear message: property rights are not optional, and no one is above the law. Businesses and residents have the fundamental right to operate and live free from the fear and devastation caused by vandals.”
Court Number: 25013262
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