CLIFTON

Woman who destroyed sexy Easter mannequins charged; display will return

NorthJersey

CLIFTON — The woman who used garden shears to destroy a sexy mannequin Easter display in front of a dentist's office has been charged with criminal mischief.

Desiree Shepstone, 37, of Clifton damaged the mannequins and decorations as she used garden shears to take down the display from the front yard of Grove Street dentist Wayne Gangi's office and residence on Tuesday, according to a police summons that has been mailed to her home.

Shepstone approached the display of five mannequins that were dressed in sexy black and pink lingerie and holding Easter baskets on Tuesday afternoon as a New York City news crew was filming for a later broadcast.

She returned with the shears and, in front of the crew, cut the bindings that held the mannequins to stands and dismantled the display, according to the WPIX News recording.

Wayne Gangi, a Clifton dentist, placed no trespassing tape across his Grove Street property after a neighbor destroyed his sexy mannequin display.

Shepstone then left the area. On Wednesday, police said they had mailed the summons to her home, across the street from the dentist's office.

Gangi first drew media attention Monday when the community reacted to the mannequins dressed as Playboy Bunnies, some wearing fishnet stockings, on a lawn festooned with Easter eggs.

Gangi, who was not in the office during the destruction of the display, returned and was captured on video by the same news crew as he learned of his mannequins' fate.

Local opinion on the display varied from offensive to funny to "gross," but after the destruction, most said the dentist has a right to express himself on his own property.

The home at the corner of Robin Hood Rd. and Grove St. in Clifton is turning heads again, this time with Playboy Bunny mannequins to celebrate Easter. At least one passer by gave the display a thumbs-up. Monday, April, 8, 2019

Shepstone, who was not available for comment, spoke with WOR radio on Wednesday morning and said she removed the display because she didn't want her 16-year-old son to be subjected to it.

"Nobody was going to do anything about it, so I did," Shepstone told the radio show.

Gangi said he wasn't buying her story.

"There was a lot of drama going on, and she wanted to be a part of it," he said.

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Shepstone's actions may have backfired, as she will now have to appear in Municipal Court — and support for Gangi and his display have grown.

"Nobody deserves this," said Clifton's Gina Scaduto-Zhitnik, who previously posted that she found the display abhorrent. "Nobody has the right to enter somebody's property and touch, destroy or damage anything."

Trespassing sign outside the dental practice of Dr. Wayne Gangi, in Clifton.

Police conducted an investigation that included interviews with multiple eyewitnesses and a review of multiple sources of video evidence, said Clifton Sgt. Robert Anderson.

Gangi said he wanted her to have to appear in court.

"I made sure of that," he said, adding that based on police advice he posted "no trespassing" and "private property" signs where the display once stood.

He said he was told that if she or anyone else trespasses, it will be a more serious infraction.

"I'll go to court. I won't say anything, but watch the videos," Gangi said.

Gangi's office, at the corner of Robin Hood Road, is no stranger to holiday decoration controversy. In the past, his elaborate Halloween and Christmas decorations have drawn criticism as well as lots of visitors and praise.

In 2012, the dentist's display of bloody corpses, skeletons and furry spiders that covered his building and property at 562 Grove St. attracted lots of visitors as well as a parking-ticket blitz, because Clifton police cracked down on what they called traffic hazards. Gangi was not happy and threatened to put an end to the decorations. He has not done so.

Four of the five mannequin lie in a heap Tuesday afternoon shortly after a neighbor from across the street decided that the display had to come down.

The lifelong Clifton resident said the displays, which he admits often push the envelope, are his way of giving back to the community.

"It's fun when things are going your way. It's fun to make people laugh," he said. "It's not fun when it starts going bad."

He said he has received "nasty" notes and letters about the latest display. He has also received calls and notes of support and callers who want to help him set up the display again.

"I've had callers, all of them women, saying they are willing to help set it back up," Gangi said.

Others offered to replace any mannequins that were damaged.

Gangi said if all goes well, the display will go back up Friday, around noon.

"I've already been tweaking it," he said.

Email: fagan@northjersey.com