PITTSBURGH -- A defense attorney calls Daniel Montano an exceptionally bright person who fell victim to drugs while causing what police say is approximately $600,000 in graffiti damages across Pittsburgh.

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Montano, who police say goes by the tag "MFONE," was ordered to pay $299,301.40 in restitution after pleading guilty to about 80 counts Friday. A judge will decide the 22-year-old Highland Park man's sentence on July 24.

But while Montano was in the Allegheny County Jail overnight, more graffiti was being sprayed on uptown businesses and houses near UPMC Mercy -- including "FTC" on a building at Locust and Gist streets.

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The Pittsburgh Police Graffiti Taskforce said "FTC" stands for "Full-Time Crime."

But businesses and homes tagged with the graffiti said they could care less what it stands for. They just want it to stop.

"I saw the place across the street was tagged," said homeowner Bernard Dougherty. "And I said, 'Oh no.' They tagged the place across the street. And then it occurred to me, they might have hit my place. And I went out, and there was some writing on my place. It's just getting worse."

"We're trying to do our best around here," said homeowner George Short. "Renovate these buildings, fix up the neighborhood and business. The people who live here, we're really disgusted with this nonsense, and we want to see it stopped."

Also, the word "FORGIVE" has been painted on at least three buildings in Lawrenceville this week -- including a huge display on the Arsenal Terminal building at 40th and Butler streets.

Tony Ceoffe, director of the Lawrenceville United community organization, said authorities are spending too many resources on graffiti in Pittsburgh. He wants the judge to send a message by handing Montano a stiff sentence.

"If he used his artistic ability for good, he could probably be a millionaire," Ceoffe said. "But the fact of the matter is, he's not. He's a criminal, he's a felon and he's a vandal. What he does, and what people like him continue to do, is vandalize properties in our neighborhoods."

If Montano gets the maximum sentence, it would be nearly 130 years in prison and more than $300,000 in fines, WTAE Channel 4's Ari Hait reported.

"If everybody had to go to jail for the maximum period of time for their crimes dictate, we wouldn't have enough jails in this country," said defense attorney Bill Cercone Jr.

Twice this week, the judge declined to accept Montano's plea, saying authorities needed to determine exactly how much damage was caused so he knows how much prison time should be handed out.

The process is complicated because there were so many counts filed against Montano, which means there is an equally large number of victims.

Montano's defense attorney did not suggest lowering Montano's bond, so Montano will remain jailed. Cercone said it's the best thing for his client right now because it has allowed him to detox.

Montano, whom authorities call Pittsburgh's No. 1 graffiti vandal, was most recently arrested in January. At that time, he was out on bond for similar charges.

Montano has been charged at least three times before for graffiti -- twice in Pittsburgh and once in San Francisco.

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Here's What You're Saying On Our Graffiti Message Board

coaltrain, wrote: "Without ever having met the kid, a lot of you are calling him stupid, and wishing terrible physical harm to him. He is a genius, and incredibly sweet. "well if he's a genius, why does he do the things he does?" It's a tough and necessary question. you've got to understand that he's not attacking anyone personally, if anything it's more of a comment on materialistic society... Nonviolent crimes like this do not deserve life imprisonment. I'm sure he would gladly paint over everything he pleaded guilty to."

Steve71, wrote: "It is not cheap to remove spray paint from a car. I would give him AT LEAST 25 years in prison. This stupid #!&*$! has been arrested several times in the past. We need to set sentence standards for these acts. Plain and simple, if you get caught "tagging" someone elses property, 1 full year in prision. If you do it again, 5 years. Third time is a charm with 25 years. And if he decides to do this again in the year 2033 when he gets out of prison, cut off his hands."

satkids, wrote: "Graffiti is an art to an extent. If there were ever to be a part of any neighborhood that advocated graffiti, there wouldn't been graffiti there. The 'art' of graffiti is not only practicing styles and fills and such, but hitting areas that aren't supposed to be hit. If you say "Hey, paint this wall", tagging logic would be "Don't paint that wall ..."

credman wrote, "Don't waste my tax dollars by locking this guy up. Make him clean up his damage and do some commuity service like helping to fill the pot holes around the city. Put him to work. Don't give him free room and board plus meals."

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