(WSVN) - An actor playing the Sesame Street character Elmo was arrested and facing 60 days in jail. To avoid that, he called Help Me Howard with Patrick Fraser. Let’s see if Elmo wound up behind bars.
Darren’s an actor who’s played bad guys getting arrested.
Then he was hired to play Elmo and got arrested.
Darren Anselmo: “And I see this cop there, like, with his gun and all that.”
Deputy in body camera video: “Get on the [expletive] ground now! Get on the [expletive] ground!”
This started back in December.
Darren was paid to dress up as the Sesame Street character for a live streaming show on YouTube.
Darren Anselmo: “I was like, ‘Hey, you know what? I’m up for anything.'”
As part of the show, the organizers tied Elmo up and put him in the back of a van.
Woman in live streaming show: “I got cops calling me twice today.”
But a 911 caller thought it was a kidnapping.
Broward Sheriff’s Office body camera footage we obtained shows what happened.
Deputy: “Shut your mouth. I don’t give a [expletive].”
The organizers knew they were real officers, but Darren thought the cops were actors and part of the show just like him.
Darren Anselmo: “All the people, they believed it was real, but they supposedly had everybody talk to everybody.”
Deputy: “Oh, but that’s not the case.”
And Darren quickly learned the police officers were really upset they had been chasing an Elmo character.
Deputy: “You wasted not just our time, helicopter’s fuel. You scared the [expletive] out of a couple of families.”
Darren, with his wrists handcuffed, tried to explain he was not to blame.
Darren Anselmo: “I was paid to be kidnapped, ’cause I am an actor.”
Deputy: “And you did a great job.”
Darren and the three organizers were all arrested, charged with disorderly conduct, which can mean 60 days in jail.
Darren called Help Me Howard.
We asked attorney Eric Schwartzreich to take the case
Eric Schwartzreich: “He didn’t stage anything. He wasn’t in charge of this. He took a job. He was hired.”
The Broward State Attorney’s Office offered all four people involved in the live stream a plea deal, where they would enter a diversion program and each pay $200 restitution. And if they complied, the case against them would be dropped.
Two accepted. The third is expected to.
But Eric refused to settle, and Darren agreed.
Darren Anselmo: “I just feel it’s wrong. I shouldn’t be in his predicament in the first place.”
Six months later, we were back in court.
The assistant state attorney spoke.
Doreen Monk: “Both myself and defense have spent the last few weeks negotiating back and forth regarding the appropriate result in this case. So the state announces a nol pros.”
Nol pros. Translation: Darren was in the clear.
Eric Schwartzreich: “They took the time. They were diligent. They reviewed the videos, they reviewed the records, and they came to the right resolution, which was to drop the charges and free Elmo.”
Darren was thrilled. The charge clearly had bothered him more than he had shown.
Darren Anselmo: “I didn’t know what to do. It was like mental anguish.”
Eric doesn’t represent the three organizers of the live stream, but he says they clearly put Darren, as Elmo, in a bad spot.”
Eric Schwartzreich: “So, I don’t think there was any cruel or evil intent here, but I think people need to be, in this day and age, they need to be smart, they need to be wiser as to like what’s going on, so a panic is not caused.”
It all started as a live stream that left Darren in handcuffs.
It all worked out after his call to Help Me Howard.
Darren Anselmo: “We got Eric Schwartzreich. We got you, Help Me Howard, Howard Finkelstein. With you guys’ help, you save me from 60 days in jail and a record. So I really appreciate that, and I thank you a lot.”
Happy for you Darren, and thank you, Eric, for helping Darren out for free.
Now, if you are going to put on a show that might look like a crime, let the police know the time and location. Might save everyone headaches.
Tired of someone’s act? The problem can be arrested by handcuffing us to it to unlock a solution.
With this Help Me Howard, I’m Patrick Fraser, 7News.
CONTACT HELP ME HOWARD:
Email: helpmehoward@wsvn.com
Reporter: Patrick Fraser at pfraser@wsvn.com
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