According to the Edgewater Police Department (EPD), officers responded to the call around 7:21 AM. The neighbor reported that their camera footage showed Budden attempting to enter a code into their keypad before returning to his apartment in the same building. The complaint also noted that the neighbor and their two juvenile daughters witnessed the event live through their phone.
The police formally announced the charge on December 30, following public attention on the incident. Budden’s attorney, Nima Ameri of Ameri Law Firm, strongly criticized the department’s handling of the matter. Ameri stated, "Mr. Budden has been waiting weeks for his cross complaints to be processed, which include more serious charges against those behind these allegations. Instead, the Chief has used this minor charge to gain publicity."
Ameri further argued that the charge was racially motivated and highlighted that the police had not issued press releases for similar cases involving disorderly conduct this year. He also dismissed the accusations as minor and expressed confidence in Budden’s ability to clear his name in court.
Budden, who has publicly shared his struggles with sleepwalking and disputes with neighbors, has a court date scheduled for next month.
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