Man arrested for throwing sex toy at Liberty game, third arrest in series of disturbances
An Ohio man was arrested for throwing a sex toy onto the court during a WNBA game in New York, marking the third arrest linked to a series of similar disturbances at games nationwide, police said Thursday.
Charles Burgess, 32, of Dayton, Ohio, was taken into custody on Wednesday and charged with two counts of assault for allegedly tossing the object at the Dallas Wings vs. New York Liberty game on August 5, striking a 12-year-old girl, according to New York City police. Burgess voluntarily surrendered after driving from Ohio and pleaded not guilty, his lawyer, Paul D’Emilia, said. He was released ahead of a court appearance scheduled for December. D’Emilia described Burgess, an auto body shop owner with six children and no prior criminal record, as planning to “vigorously fight these embellished and exaggerated charges.”
Prosecutors cited surveillance footage showing Burgess removing the sex toy from his pants and hurling it toward the court, though his lawyer argued the video does not clearly show anyone being hit.
The incidents are part of a wider trend of similar disruptions at WNBA games across the country, including Atlanta, Los Angeles, Phoenix, and Chicago between late July and early August. In some cases, the toys reached the court, causing game delays, while others landed in the crowd.
In Phoenix, 18-year-old Kaden Lopez was arrested after allegedly throwing a toy, which he said was part of a social media prank. He faced charges of assault, disorderly conduct, and publicly displaying explicit sexual material, but the county prosecutor’s office found no probable cause for felony charges, referring remaining misdemeanor counts to the city.
In Georgia, Delbert Carver, 23, was charged with disorderly conduct, criminal trespassing, public indecency, and indecent exposure following two toy-throwing incidents at Atlanta Dream games. Carver told police the prank was intended to go viral. Convictions on the misdemeanor charges could result in fines, jail time, or sex offender registration.
Other incidents included a sex toy nearly hitting Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham in Los Angeles. The WNBA has warned that anyone throwing objects on the court will be ejected and face at least a one-year ban from attending games. Media reports have linked the toy-throwings to a group promoting a cryptocurrency meme coin.
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