President Obama Streaker Gets Two Years Probation
Jan. 29, 2011— -- The New York man was who was arrested for streaking at a Philadelphia rally for President Obama in October, has been sentenced to two years' probation, according to The Philadelphia Daily News.
Juan Rodriguez, 24, of Staten Island, N.Y., stripped down to nothing but his black sneakers while Obama was speaking at a rally Oct. 10 in the Germantown section of Philadelphia on an Internet dare to win $1 million offered by web billionaire Alki David.
Rodriguez ran through the crowd with the name of David's website, Battlecam.com, written across his belly while shouting the name of the site to the crowd, but did not receive his $1 million. Instead, he was arrested on charges of indecent exposure, disorderly conduct and open lewdness.
According to the Philadelphia Daily News, David, 42, contends that Rodriguez was not within eyeshot or earshot of the president, which was a stipulation of the bet. He told the paper that he decided to award $100,000 for his naked dash, plus $10,000 to cover about six months' rent.
"He wasn't anywhere close to the president," David told the paper, adding that footage indicated Rodriguez was 50 to 60 feet from Obama.
Rodriguez, a father of three who is currently unemployed, claimed that the amount David reported paying him is inaccurate, but would not reveal how much compensation he received.
It was previously reported that David has agreed to pay not only for the rent and hospital bills, but give Rodriguez an undisclosed amount of cash.
During a stipulated trial on Friday, Philadelphia Assistant District Attorney Brandyn Hicks argued that Rodriguez caused a hazard when he streaked in front of a crowd with such tight security. He also brought up a 2004 offense in which Rodriguez obtained transportation without paying; Rodriguez explained that this was a case of jumping a subway turnstile as a teenager.
Hicks requested Municipal Judge Lydia Kirkland give Rodriguez three to 23 months in jail. Instead Kirkland gave him two years' reporting probation, to be served in New York.
