A Manhattan judge granted bail on Wednesday to the human fly who scaled Trump Tower last week in hopes of meeting Donald Trump — with prosecutors revealing that he wanted to give the Republican nominee “secret information” for his potential presidency.
Stephen Rogata, 19, was arraigned through a closed-circuit video feed from Bellevue Hospital where he was being held for observation.
Rogata — who was handcuffed and wearing blue hospital-issued garb during this hearing — could go home as soon as today if he can post $10,000 bail and Bellevue doctors sign off on his release, Judge Kevin McGrath said.
Rogata was busted on Aug. 10 after he scaled Trump Tower from a fifth-floor atrium and got up to the 21st floor before cops pulled him inside.
Manhattan Assistant District Attorney Pierre Griffith said Rogata was hell bent on getting a meeting with the GOP candidate when he used suction cups to climb to the 21st floor of Trump Tower.
During the climb, cops tried to talk him back inside the building.
“I’m not taking the (safety) rope. I’m going to see Trump,” Rogata told police on his way up, according to Griffith. “No thanks, I don’t want the rope. I appreciate that you’re looking out for me … I’m going to see Trump.”
Rogata later told law enforcement he needed to meet with The Donald and offer him crucial advice on how to tackle his potential new job as leader of the free world.
“I came to Trump Tower and saw Trump leaving,” Griffith quoted Rogata telling investigators at Bellevue. “My intention was to get a meeting with Mr. Trump to give him secret information.”
He allegedly told Secret Service agents: “I want you to get a message to Trump. It has to do with when he becomes president, how he’s going to govern.”
Rogata also admitted that he wanted some publicity out of the stunt and had been planning it for weeks, prosecutors said.
“Yes, I know I’m under arrest. I bought equipment two weeks ago on Amazon,” Rogata told law enforcement at Bellevue, according to Griffith. “I did it for the publicity.”
After getting the equipment, Rogata practiced on a three-story building in Virginia then waited until his parents were out of town to drive to New York and make his attention-grabbing ascent, Griffith said.
He has been charged with four misdemeanors — reckless endangerment, two counts of criminal trespass, and BASE jumping.
The climber’s lawyer, Tara Collins, said her client needs treatment for mental health issues – and that’d be best served outside confinement at Bellevue.
“Given a fragile state of mental health and age, there are concerns of burgeoning, blooming mental health issues,” Collins said.
“At best, he did something profoundly stupid that lacked good judgement.”
Griffith had argued for $20,000 bail, saying Rogata is a danger.
“Several items fell from his backpack (during the climb) including a laptop (computer),” Griffith said. “The defendant’s crime endangers, not only himself, but people beneath him.”
The death-defying climb lasted three hours.
Rogata, who was born Michael Joseph Ryan before changing his name, lives in the Washington DC suburb of Great Falls, Va.
Collins said her client, who also volunteered in the 2012 Mitt Romney campaign, has a strong support network back home. Both of his parents have MBAs and his dad is an active-duty Naval officer.
Additional reporting by David K. Li