Trump Tower Climber from Great Falls Formally Charged from Hospital Bed: Report

McLEAN, VA -- Great Falls resident Stephen Rogata aka Michael Joseph Ryan, the young man who captured the nation's attention with his suction-cup climb last week up the side of Trump Tower, was formally charged Wednesday from his Bellevue Hospital bed with trespassing, endangerment and base jumping, ABC News reports Wednesday.

Ryan, a former Langley High School student, reportedly changed his name to Stephen Rogata before making the climb last Wednesday. The 19-year old climbed the side of the 58-story building using giant suction cups and was reportedly attempting to deliver a message to GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump. His climb was carried live on CNN, MSNBC and FOX News. His climb was cut short by police who popped out windows to pull him in on the 21st floor.

A Langley student told CNN she and Ryan took honors classes together and competed on the debate team. The cable network reported that Ryan took his parents car to drive to New York while they were on vacation.

Ryan was charged with first-degree reckless endangerment and third-degree criminal trespassing. The first-degree reckless endangerment charge is a felony and carries up to seven years in prison. The third-degree criminal trespass charge is a misdemeanor and carries just 90 days in jail maximum.

Bail for the Trump Tower climber was set at $10,000 cash/$5,000 bond after a hospital bedside arraignment on three criminal charges, according to the ABC News report Wednesday.

The shaggy young man in rock-climbing gear and a baseball cap sent New York City into throes of horror and delight on a muggy summer Wednesday by attempting to climb Trump Tower at 725 Fifth Ave., the premiere NYC property of Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump, using a set of five giant suction cups.
The climb lasted nearly two and a half hours and brought rush-hour traffic to a standstill in Midtown.

Below is the video of Stephen Rogata aka Michael Joseph Ryan posted to YouTube titled "Message to Mr. Trump (why I climbed your tower):

Mark Osborne, Patch staff, contributed to this report.

PHOTO of Trump Tower climber courtesy of NYPD