Man Charged After Throwing Sex Toy at Liberty Game
An Ohio man has been arrested for allegedly throwing a sex toy towards the court during a WNBA game in New York, police said.
On August 5th, in a packed Barclays Center as the New york Liberty battled the Dallas Wings, security cameras caught Charles Burgess, 32, of Dayton, Ohio, reaching into his pants. It wasn't to adjust his belt. Prosecutors say he pulled out a rubber object and launched it towards the court - striking a 12-year-old girl. He was charged with two counts of assault, police said.
According to ESPN, the State of New York filed ten criminal charges against Burgess.
Burgess drove a ten-hour road trip of shame from Ohio to New York on Wednesday, when he voluntarily surrendered himself to the 78th Precent in Brooklyn to plead not guilty.
His lawyer, Paul D'Emilia, put out a statement:
"Mr.Burgess intends to vigorously fight these embellished and exaggerated charges."
D'Emilia argued the surveillance video does not clearly show anyone being struck by the object. D'Emilia said Burgess, who owns an auto body shop, has six kids and no prior criminal history. Burgess was released pending his next court case in December.
The latest arrest in a bizarre string of incidents where sex toys had been thrown at WNBA games around the country. Atlanta. Los Angeles. Phoenix. Chicago. Now Brooklyn.
League officials have said that anyone who throws objects onto the court will be ejected from the arena and face a minimum one-year ban from attending future games. Media reports have linked the occurrences to a group promoting a cryptocurrency meme coin. Authorities have not confirmed any connection.
A crypto group called Green Dildo Coin (DILDO) is behind a series of incidents where neon green sex toys have been thrown onto WNBA courts since late July. The group claims the stunt is a “protest” against scams in the crypto space, but critics and coaches see it as misogynistic,… pic.twitter.com/bXkzieweRD
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Brooklyn-based sports journalist and digital creator. Telling stories through hoops while covering the New York Liberty.