August 22, 2025 NEW YORK CITY — A bizarre and shocking incident at a recent WNBA game has a Dayton, Ohio, man facing serious charges after he was allegedly caught on video throwing a sex toy that struck a 12-year-old girl. The bizarre event is the latest in a string of similar disruptions plaguing the league.
According to New York City police, the man, identified as Charles Burgess, was arrested after he voluntarily surrendered to authorities. He has since pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Court documents state that surveillance footage captured Burgess pulling the object from his pants and throwing it toward the court. His attorney, Paul D'Emilia, claims the video doesn't show the object hitting anyone and says his client plans to "vigorously fight these embellished and exaggerated charges."
A Growing Problem for the League
The incident at the New York Liberty game isn't an isolated event. Several other WNBA games have been disrupted this month by fans throwing similar objects onto the court, causing delays and raising safety concerns.
In a strong response to the incidents, the WNBA released a statement saying anyone caught throwing an object onto the court will be immediately ejected and banned from attending games for at least one year. They will also be subject to arrest and prosecution by local law enforcement.
