Finally Getting Free from Parole & Restitution

Ian de Beer (b. 1987) is an artist and educator from Buffalo, New York. Over a decade ago, Ian was charged with two felonies for graffiti and subsequently was handed down one of the harshest penalties in US history for graffiti, including over a year and a half in prison and over 8 years on parole with subsequent state supervised probation (pseudo-parole). Parole/probation has restricted Ian's free movement, and even restricted his ability to make art (yes, ANY art) as a draconian condition of his punishment. While making art in his own home after several years on parole, he was sent back to prison for simply possessing art making materials- this without any new charges being brought - and he remained in jail for over three months (the maximum legal time they could hold him without filing a charge) on that occasion. Ian was later forced to pay back college tuition and forfeit a semester's worth of work because of the sudden detainment. Since being released, Ian has been working to support himself and to get an education, recently graduating from the University at Buffalo. Even with all the obstacles in front of him, Ian has continued to be an active artist, patron of the arts, and volunteer educator.

Friends of Ian know that he is dedicated to overcome whatever is put in front of him, but one main impediment remains to achieving real freedom, and that is because state supervised probation will continue to be extended until Ian is able to to pay over $60,000 in "restitution" for graffiti that he wrote over a decade ago. 
This is a fundraiser to help Ian finally achieve freedom by paying off that debt. Please consider making a donation on this page or buying a limited edition artwork available from his website www.Iandebeer.com.