An arrest warrant was issued for an 18-year-old accused of trespassing at Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry’s $30 million home in Atherton, according to the San Mateo County District Attorney’s Office.
A judge issued the $500 misdemeanor arrest warrant on Tuesday for Sheng Gao of Cupertino, after he failed to show up for a court hearing last week. Gao’s court date for his arraignment was last Thursday, Dec. 7.
Security cameras showed the man approach the home on Selby Lane on Oct. 15. Gao was spotted tinkering with random buttons on the front gate’s security keypad. A lucky guess gained him access to the Curry property.
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After the gate opened, he walked up the driveway and entered the home through an unlocked front door. Upon his entry, Gao was confronted by the nanny, and he informed her that he was looking for a “signature.”
She then told him to leave the premises, which he did. He exited before authorities arrived but was arrested on a nearby road. While Stephen Curry and his wife, Ayesha, were not home at the time, his three children were.
A misdemeanor trespassing charge in California carries a maximum fine of $1,000. A felony charge can be issued if the trespasser intends to threaten and/or seriously injure another person. The individual’s motive matters.
18-year-old Sheng Gao, an exchange student from China, entered Stephen Curry’s home for his autograph
Gao pursued Curry for his autograph after being informed that Atherton is the most expensive zip code in the United States. The median home price in the San Mateo town in 2022 was $7 million, per Forbes.
“Someone had told him a famous basketball player lived on this street and someone told him, ‘That’s Steph Curry’s residence over there,’” said District Attorney Steve Wagstaffe.
Furthermore, Gao is reportedly a foreign exchange student from China.
According to The Mercury News, the Curry couple sent an email to Atherton officials asking them to “reconsider the planned development of a high-density housing complex” near their home.
“Safety and privacy for us and our kids continues to be our top priority and one of the biggest reasons we chose Atherton as home,” the Currys wrote. “With the density being proposed for 23 Oakwood (Blvd.), there are major concerns in terms of both privacy and safety with three‐story townhomes looming directly behind us.”
Since the alleged trespass took place at Stephen Curry’s residence, the charge was upgraded to aggravated trespassing under California law. This penalty carries a maximum sentencing of one year. A standard trespassing charge is typically six months.
A felony trespassing charge can include up to three years in jail and/or a maximum fine of $10,000.
