Recently, a man from a county 2,300 miles away from Santa Barbara County was found to be trespassing twice on the property of Meghan Markle and Prince Harry’s estate. It all started on December 24th when Santa Barbara County deputies responded to a call at the residence and warned the suspect, N. Brooks, that he was trespassing. Two days later he was found by deputies on the property again, after which he was arrested.
The suspect was taken into custody on misdemeanor trespassing charges, cited, and released.
Trespassing is covered under California Penal Code 602 PC and is described as entering or remaining on someone else’s property without their permission. Some examples of trespassing include:
- Having a personal issue with a business owner, entering the business, and creating a fuss that drives customers away
- Entering someone else’s garage or storage unit, setting up a sleeping bag, and staying there for several nights
- Threatening to beat someone up and then, later on, going to their property or workplace with the intention of acting violently toward them.
Trespassing is typically considered to be a misdemeanor crime punishable by up to 6 months in jail and/or a fine of up to $1,000. However, some trespassing cases wind up being infractions instead of misdemeanors and carry only a small fine as a penalty.
Should a person threaten to injure someone physically and then enter their home or workplace without permission, it’s possible to be charged with aggravated trespass – a felony punishable by 16 months to 3 years in jail.
It is unknown why the suspect in the case was twice on the victims’ property, or if they were even home at the time. It’s possible he was looking to get pictures like a paparazzi, who are known to make good money selling photographs of celebrities to various world media outlets.
