Instagram star accused of exposing himself from high-rise apartment balcony, GA cops say
Calls about a man strutting naked on an apartment balcony in Atlanta led to the arrest of an Instagram personality, according to Georgia authorities.
Mercedes New, also known as Shawty Dred, was charged with public indecency after he was accused of exposing himself from the balcony of his high-rise apartment in Midtown, Atlanta police said in a news release.
Officers arrived at 1180 West Peachtree St. just before noon Wednesday, Sept. 21, after staff called to report a man exposing himself at the apartment building next door, the release said.
Neighbors also accused the man of urinating through the balcony’s bars onto the ground below, WSB-TV reported.
Residents “said it was so bad, they thought about using an umbrella when they walked along the sidewalk,” according to the news station.
Authorities investigated and met with leasing staff at the adjacent Icon Midtown Apartments, police said. Employees provided them with the the man’s unit number, where they found New and arrested him.
The Atlanta native, who bills himself as a an actor, rapper and entrepreneur, has nearly a million Instagram followers, according to his social media profile.
“I’m famous!” New told WSB-TV. “I didn’t do this, man. No. I’m innocent. I promise I didn’t do this.”
He was booked into the Fulton County Jail where he remained as of Thursday, Sept. 22, online records show.
This story was originally published September 22, 2022 at 10:47 AM with the headline "Instagram star accused of exposing himself from high-rise apartment balcony, GA cops say."