Yet another Craigslist ad v. Why so serious?
Thread Starter
Shake n Bake!
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 11,794
Likes: 1
From: Pittsburgh, PA
Yet another Craigslist ad v. Why so serious?
lulz
http://www.13wham.com/news/local/sto...TvTM9gU9g.cspx
http://www.13wham.com/news/local/sto...TvTM9gU9g.cspx
Brockport, N.Y. -- Joshua Stagnitto says he was just trying to get a few laughs, and never dreamed listing his one and two-year-old boys for sale would get him arrested. He posted the Craigslist ad on the afternoon of April 7th.
The 24-year-old says he buys and sells stuff on the website all the time.
Police were shocked at whom Stagnitto listed for sale one Wednesday afternoon, his two boys, ages two-and-a-half, and one-and-a-half.
"Just when you think you've seen it all in law enforcement, something new comes out," says Trooper Mark O'Donnell, of the New York State Police. "If you go on Craigslist, you see pictures of skis and snowmobiles, and cars, just about everything for sale. Now, we've seen a two-year-old and a one-year-old."
Stagnitto says he wasn't serious when he posted the ad on the website.
"I was joking around. I thought I would get a laugh out of a couple people, and I just put it on there for a joke, you know?" says Stagnitto.
The listing went as far as advertising that his two young children can be used as "child slaves and footstools," that they come with a 12-pack of diapers, and one dirty t-shirt. He even listed a "special pricing" for the boys: $40 dollars for one, $200 for both.
Stagnitto was arrested for falsely reporting an incident, which is a misdemeanor.
"He didn't actually sell is children, obviously. But he did cause enough annoyance or problems for three different agencies to get involved. And again, there's some serious manpower and time that was wasted on something that he said was just a joke," explains Trooper O'Donnell.
Stagnitto did clarify on the bottom of the ad that he was kidding, but police say they are taking this very seriously, especially because children were involved.
Stagnitto says he would never do anything to harm his children.
"They are my life. I love them more than my life," he says.
He has hired a lawyer and is determined to clear his name.
"I'm 100% positive this is going not going to be found guilty, because it's completely ridiculous. It was 100% honest to God a joke, and everybody blew it way out of proportion."
He is now home with his girlfriend and the two boys.
He will reappear in Sweden Town Court on May 3rd.
The 24-year-old says he buys and sells stuff on the website all the time.
Police were shocked at whom Stagnitto listed for sale one Wednesday afternoon, his two boys, ages two-and-a-half, and one-and-a-half.
"Just when you think you've seen it all in law enforcement, something new comes out," says Trooper Mark O'Donnell, of the New York State Police. "If you go on Craigslist, you see pictures of skis and snowmobiles, and cars, just about everything for sale. Now, we've seen a two-year-old and a one-year-old."
Stagnitto says he wasn't serious when he posted the ad on the website.
"I was joking around. I thought I would get a laugh out of a couple people, and I just put it on there for a joke, you know?" says Stagnitto.
The listing went as far as advertising that his two young children can be used as "child slaves and footstools," that they come with a 12-pack of diapers, and one dirty t-shirt. He even listed a "special pricing" for the boys: $40 dollars for one, $200 for both.
Stagnitto was arrested for falsely reporting an incident, which is a misdemeanor.
"He didn't actually sell is children, obviously. But he did cause enough annoyance or problems for three different agencies to get involved. And again, there's some serious manpower and time that was wasted on something that he said was just a joke," explains Trooper O'Donnell.
Stagnitto did clarify on the bottom of the ad that he was kidding, but police say they are taking this very seriously, especially because children were involved.
Stagnitto says he would never do anything to harm his children.
"They are my life. I love them more than my life," he says.
He has hired a lawyer and is determined to clear his name.
"I'm 100% positive this is going not going to be found guilty, because it's completely ridiculous. It was 100% honest to God a joke, and everybody blew it way out of proportion."
He is now home with his girlfriend and the two boys.
He will reappear in Sweden Town Court on May 3rd.
h:
