Chad Michael Busto arrested after allegedly stalking Drew Barrymore in Hamptons, Manhattan, police say
Drew Barrymore's alleged stalker, Chad Michael Busto, is seen after a Hampton Bays court appearance Friday. Credit: John Roca
A Washington, D.C., man who allegedly stalked actor-talk show host Drew Barrymore in Manhattan and at her Southampton home this week was arrested late Thursday night, Southampton police said.
The department first received a 911 call Wednesday evening that a "suspicious person," later identified as Chad Michael Busto, was going door-to-door in the Village of Sagaponack on a bicycle telling residents that he was looking for Barrymore's house, said Lt. Todd Spencer.
Busto, he said, was temporarily detained "in the vicinity of her residence" but not arrested and appeared to have left the area, adding that Barrymore was not home at the time of the incident.
Patrol officers notified the Southampton Police Department's Detective Division and a follow-up investigation was conducted, Spencer said. Authorities distributed a ''Wanted" flyer seeking Busto's arrest on stalking charges.
On Thursday, East Hampton Town Police located Busto and took him into custody before turning him over to Southampton Town Police detectives for arrest processing.
Busto pleaded not guilty to a charge of fourth-degree stalking during his arraignment Friday morning in Southampton Town Justice Court.
Judge Barbara Wilson released Busto on his own recognizance, ordering him to stay away from Barrymore and fitting him with a GPS ankle monitor for the next 60 days.
Busto told reporters after the arraignment that he first met Barrymore in 2007 and "I thought we had a history."
He is being represented by the Suffolk County Legal Aid Society, which does not comment on criminal cases.
Drew Barrymore was not at her Hamptons home Wednesday night when a man was detained near her home, Southampton Town police said. Credit: Getty Images / TNS / Jamie McCarthy
Earlier this week, Busto attempted to rush the stage at Manhattan's 92nd Street Y to get to Barrymore as she was doing an interview with singer-actor Reneé Rapp as part of the Y’s Recanati-Kaplan talks.
“You know who I am," Busto said as he approached the stage and identified himself by name, according to video of the incident shared widely online. "I need to see you at some point while I’m in New York.”
Security guards quickly ushered Barrymore offstage while Busto was detained. The NYPD confirmed he was not arrested.
Efforts to reach Busto on Thursday were not successful.
Busto has dozens of arrests in Arizona; South Carolina; Washington, D.C.; Wisconsin; Virginia and California in connection with trespassing, failing to obey a police officer, theft, assault, harassment and indecent exposure, records state.
Busto is due back in court in Southampton on Sept. 12.
Robert Brodsky is a breaking news reporter who has worked at Newsday since 2011. He is a Queens College and American University alum.
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