Joshua Stagnitto says his "Kids 4 Sale" ad was a joke

**Dakota Valkyrie** · April 25th, 2010, 05:58 PM

He says it was a joke, but the police aren't laughing. That's why a Brockport father is in trouble with the law..

Joshua Stagnitto admitted he put up an ad on Craigslist, selling his 1 and 2-year old sons for $200. But he says he wasn't serious. Meanwhile, someone who saw it called and tipped off child protective services.

"I love my kids more than life," said Stagnitto. "I'm not actually trying to sell them on line. I honest to God thought everyone would read it and think it was funny and that would be the end of it."

This is what Stagnitto thought other people would find funny. It's an ad on Craigslist offering his one and two year old children for sale. It says: "selling my kids on the Craigslist black market." He adds, "they're good for children slaves or for foot stools. $200 for both or $40 for one."

But Stagnitto says, it was simply a joke.

"And right there clearly at the bottom of the ad it says 'lol, shut up liberals. I'm not serious.'"

Craigslist pulled the ad. Child Protective Services got a tip about the ad and called police. Now, Stagnitto is charged with falsely reporting an incident.

"The fact that I'm being charged for anything is so ridiculous, then the fact that they charged me with falsely reporting an incident. What incident did I report?"
[...]

"When he initiates an advertisement that causes an alarm or a public annoyance, that is according to New York State penal against the law," says State Trooper Mark O'Donnell. "Similar to someone yelling out fire in a restaurant where there is no fire."

O'Donnell says Stagnitto crossed the line and broke the law.

"We as police officers can not just blow these types of things off," says O'Donnell. "We don't know anything about the person who put the children on Craigslist, we don't know what condition the children were who were put on Craigslist, so we have to conduct an investigation."

As for the children, we're told they're doing fine. They're home with Stagnitto and their mother. But it's been a hard lesson for their dad.

"Now I know the world doesn't have a sense of humor anymore and I shouldn't be doing anything like this again," says Stagnitto.

http://www.whec.com/news/stories/S1526702.shtml?cat=566

**Pete Bondurant** · April 25th, 2010, 06:07 PM

I could easily see myelf doing something like this.

**curethispain** · April 25th, 2010, 06:28 PM

I've made this offer to my family before.

**jus shaking my head** · April 25th, 2010, 06:41 PM

Hell, I've offered to pay someone to take mine!

**Dakota Valkyrie** · April 25th, 2010, 06:50 PM

I can't believe anyone took it seriously. The cost and "uses" alone should hav ebeen a clue it the "I'm not serious." didn't register.

I am wondering how they will justify "one report" as causing "an alarm or a public annoyance". They could be opening a can of worms on that one.

I have a few "public annoyances" I could report. My one report should count...

**Valasca** · April 25th, 2010, 07:42 PM

Yeah, I can easily believe it was a joke.
Too bad everyone takes things too damned serious. Just email/call the guy and tell him to take off the posting. Jeez.

**Dakota Valkyrie** · April 25th, 2010, 08:02 PM

I would have messaged him.

To whom it may concern:

If your ad is a joke, take it down as I don't find it funny.

If you do not, I will report you to CPS.

Sincerely,
DV

PS. If it is not a joke, could you sent me their dimensions so I can see if either will be useful as a foot stool until they are old enough to be proper slaves.

**tricia381** · April 25th, 2010, 08:04 PM

Honestly, I can understand investigating the matter, but actually charging the guy with any kind of crime is just crazy. Doesnt LE in NY have better things to do with their time?

**TwiztidAngel** · April 26th, 2010, 06:30 AM

this is what happens when boredom sets in on the interwebz...

**jus shaking my head** · April 26th, 2010, 07:42 AM

Originally Posted by TwiztidAngel

this is what happens when boredom sets in on the interwebz...

This is what happens when LE needs to meet a quota and doesn't want to work for it.

**Dakota Valkyrie** · April 26th, 2010, 08:30 AM

Authorities began a probe, and had to "make sure that if there are two kids for sale, that they be tracked down and nothing happened to them," Blum said.

When questioned by police, Stagnitto admitted he put the posting on Craigslist, the investigator said.

The two children remain with Stagnitto and their mother, whom Blum described as Stagnitto's "significant other."

Police do not believe the children are in any danger, he said.

http://news.blogs.cnn.com/2010/04/24...gslist/?hpt=T2

Dang! There not even his kids so has no right to sell them. False advertising!!!

private: http://www.myspace.com/jstagsr

**AngelFire** · April 26th, 2010, 03:58 PM

I have to say that this guy is a meathead but that alone should not be cause for a charge. He did manage to put in the ad that it was a joke. While he is stupid, he is no criminal

**truckermo** · April 27th, 2010, 06:24 AM

Wow, good thing I wasn't investigated when I offered my boyfriend on craigslist before, I suppose tho it was different, since he is grown and I was only offering him free to a good, or slightly warped home.

No false advertising though, I explained he was missing his left nut, had a severe eye twitch, failing eye sight, and had recently began to fail to answer when his name was called. No takers.