Obama Teleprompter Thief Gets Seven Years

Are you a fan of President Obama? Would you like to get your hands on some Obama paraphernalia, even if you have to “circumvent” the law, so to speak? Well whatever you do, stay away from his teleprompters. Someone just got seven years in prison for stealing one.

Eric Brown of Richmond, Virginia, confessed to stealing one of President Obama’s teleprompters, as well as a truckload full of other White House press stuff.

This constitutes “theft of government property” which is worse than theft of private property, but it was Brown’s “nightmarishly long” record that likely saddled him with a seven year prison sentence. He has a history of drug use, and was a suspect in about a dozen other truck thefts, according to court documents.

Court officials didn’t mince words regarding Mr. Brown, either.

“If I had to sum up Mr. Brown’s character, it would be that he’s a thief,” said U.S. District Judge John A. Gibney said at the sentencing Thursday.

Brown stole the White House communications van which contained the teleprompter back in October 2011.

Probably the worst part for Brown is that he didn’t even realize whose van he had stolen until he started unloading it. Despite the presidential seals on the truck, Brown only realized what he had done when he found the teleprompter, sound system, and press office equipment, said prosecutor Laura Taylor.

“The theft of government property is a serious offense,” said Assistant U.S. Attorney Roderick Young. “It’s all the more serious when the property belongs to the White House Communications Agency.”

Young did admit that seven years is a long time for Obama’s teleprompter thief.

“No it’s not,” replied U.S. District Judge John A. Gibney.

Don’t steal Obama’s teleprompters.

[Image via: Will White, Wikimedia Commons]