Statue Of Liberty Climber Convicted On Several Charges, Faces Jail Time
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) – The woman who led police on a chase up the Statue of Liberty this summer said she wanted to make a political statement. Now, she's facing over a year in prison for the stunt.
Therese "Pat" Okoumou was convicted of several misdemeanor charges, including trespassing, by Judge Gabriel Gorenstein in New York Monday.
Okoumou was arrested on the Fourth of July after climbing the Statue of Liberty. The activist said that she climbed the landmark to protest the practice of children being separated from their parents at the U.S.- Mexican border earlier this year.
The climb forced the island's evacuation and kept police busy for hours.
MORE: Climber In Custody After Scaling The Statue Of Liberty
In a statement, U.S. Attorney Geoffrey Berman said expressed his satisfaction with the court's decision to hold Okoumou accountable for the dangerous stunt.
Berman said the activist "endangered herself and the NYPD and U.S. Park Police officers who rescued and apprehended her. The act of climbing the base of the Statue of Liberty went well beyond peaceable protest, a right we certainly respect. It was a crime that put people at grave risk. We commend Judge Gorenstein's decision to hold Therese Okoumou accountable for her dangerous and reckless conduct."
Okoumou faces up to six months behind bars on each count she was convicted on Monday. She faces a maximum prison term of 18 months.
