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Man Who Scaled Trump Tower Is Arraigned in Manhattan Prosecutors Say Trump Tower Climber Wanted Publicity
(about 2 hours later)
The man who scaled the Trump Tower in Midtown Manhattan was arraigned on Wednesday on charges that included reckless endangerment and criminal trespassing. The man who scaled Trump Tower last week told investigators he did so for “the publicity,” which he hoped would earn him a meeting with Donald J. Trump, Manhattan prosecutors said in court on Wednesday.
The man, Stephen Rogata, 19, appeared in Criminal Court through a video connection to Bellevue Hospital Center, where he has been under psychiatric evaluation since he was detained after the Aug. 10 stunt. Prosecutors said the man, Stephen Rogata, 19, made the statement after he was detained for the Aug. 10 stunt, which turned into an international spectacle, streamed over social media and was broadcast by television news.
Wearing a pale blue hospital outfit, his brown hair covering most of his face, Mr. Rogata sat quietly as prosecutors read the charges. Mr. Rogata appeared in Criminal Court through a video link to Bellevue Hospital Center, where he has been under psychiatric care since the episode.
Wearing a pale blue hospital outfit, his brown hair covering most of his face, Mr. Rogata sat quietly as prosecutors read the charges, including reckless endangerment and criminal trespassing.
Judge Kevin McGrath set bail at $10,000 cash or $5,000 bond.Judge Kevin McGrath set bail at $10,000 cash or $5,000 bond.
Prosecutors said that Mr. Rogata, who lives in Virginia, walked into the building’s atrium, sneaked into a fenced-off area and began his climb of the building’s exterior on the fifth floor. Prosecutors said Mr. Rogata, who lives in Virginia, walked into the Midtown building’s atrium, sneaked into a fenced-off area and began his climb of the building’s exterior on the fifth floor.
Mr. Rogata was grabbed by officers who had removed a window from the 21st floor. He had been scaling the building for nearly three hours, a stunt watched by millions of viewers on television and streaming services online, as well as hundreds of people from the streets below. Mr. Rogata had been scaling the building for nearly three hours when he was grabbed by officers who had removed a window from the 21st floor. The climb, which was watched by millions of viewers on television and streaming services online, as well as hundreds of people from the streets below, was the latest headline-grabbing chapter for Trump Tower, since Mr. Trump began his presidential campaign there last summer.
The police said at the time that Mr. Rogata had told them that the brazen climb was an attempt to meet with Donald J. Trump, the Republican nominee for president. On Wednesday, prosecutors said that Mr. Rogata told investigators he had wanted to give Mr. Trump, the Republican nominee, “secret information” that “has to do with when he’s president, how he’s going to govern,” said Pierre Griffith, an assistant district attorney.
On Wednesday, prosecutors said that Mr. Rogata told investigators that he did the climb hoping to make it to the top of the 68-story building, knowing that he would likely be arrested. Prosecutors said he told investigators that he had hoped to make it to the top of the 68-story building but also knew he would quite likely be arrested.
“I did it for the publicity,” he told an investigator, according to Pierre Griffith, an assistant district attorney. Mr. Rogata, prosecutors said, waited for his parents to leave town, before driving to New York City, where he arrived on Aug. 9. He bought climbing equipment online in the weeks before the stunt and practiced on a three-story building in Virginia, Mr. Griffith said.
Mr. Rogata told officials that he wanted to give Mr. Trump “secret information” that “has to do with when he’s president, how he’s going to govern,” Mr. Griffith said. Mr. Griffith asked the judge for a $20,000 bail, saying several items fell out of Mr. Rogata’s backpack as he climbed, including a laptop computer.
Mr. Rogata, prosecutors said, waited for his parents to leave town, before driving to New York City, arriving on Aug. 9. He bought climbing equipment online in the weeks before the stunt, and practiced on a three-story building in Virginia, Mr. Griffith said.
Mr. Griffith asked the judge for a $20,000 bail, saying that “several” items fell out of Mr. Rogata’s backpack as he climbed, including a laptop computer.
“This defendant’s crime endangered not only himself and people beneath him,” but also emergency responders, he said.“This defendant’s crime endangered not only himself and people beneath him,” but also emergency responders, he said.
But Judge McGrath agreed to lower the amount after being petitioned by Mr. Rogata’s lawyer, Tara Collins of the Legal Aid Society. But Judge McGrath lowered the amount after being petitioned by Mr. Rogata’s lawyer, Tara Collins of the Legal Aid Society.
Ms. Collins said Mr. Rogata had been receiving psychiatric treatment at Bellevue, but did not give more specifics. Ms. Collins said Mr. Rogata had been receiving psychiatric treatment at Bellevue. She described him as a good student — a member of the debate and the cross country teams in high school — who had volunteered for Mitt Romney’s 2012 presidential campaign. He works at a plant nursery, she said.
She described him as a good student — a member of the debate and the cross country teams in high school — who had volunteered previously for Mitt Romney’s presidential campaign. He currently was employed at a plant nursery in Virginia, she said.
She described Mr. Rogata’s father as a “high-ranking” officer in the Navy with a specialty in flight navigation, and said both of his parents had visited him at the hospital.She described Mr. Rogata’s father as a “high-ranking” officer in the Navy with a specialty in flight navigation, and said both of his parents had visited him at the hospital.
Mr. Rogata, she said, “did something that was profoundly stupid with hopes of meeting someone who he will never get to meet.”Mr. Rogata, she said, “did something that was profoundly stupid with hopes of meeting someone who he will never get to meet.”