Florida mother, 36, is charged with inciting 500 person riot at skating rink for very petty reason
A Florida mother has been charged with inciting a riot of upwards of 400 people at a skating rink after owners cancelled her daughter's 18th birthday party.
Shocking video footage emerged back in May showing the moment the riot broke out at Astro Skate in the Tampa Bay area, leading to the arrest of 26 people.
Cops confirmed Thursday that Stephanie Pedroso, 36, has been arrested after she reportedly used her daughter's Instagram to encourage as many people as possible to turn up to the rink.
Pedroso was said to be seeking revenge on staff after they cancelled the private party when they discovered it was a larger event than she originally told them.
She has now been charged with unlawful use of a cellphone, inciting a riot and driving with a suspended or revoked license.
Cops confirmed Thursday that Stephanie Pedroso, 36, (pictured) has been arrested after she reportedly used her daughter's Instagram to encourage as many people as possible to turn up to the rink
Pedroso was said to be seeking revenge on staff after they cancelled the private party when they discovered it was a larger event than she originally told them
Astro Skate reportedly asked that Pedroso sign a contract stipulating she would hire an off-duty officer for security - which she failed to do.
She also allegedly broke the rink's rules by reselling tickets and posting unauthorized advertisements depicting something other than a kids' party.
According to owner Chris Maganias, Pedroso became angry and started a livestream on her daughter's Instagram urging people to come to the rink and confront law enforcement.
'We were within our rights to cancel her party and that's what we did,' he said.
'She came in, flipped out, cussed and screamed and posted nonsense about [coming] to the skating rink the next night.'
Sheriff Chad Chronister condemned Pedroso's actions Thursday.
Pedroso has now been charged with unlawful use of a cellphone, inciting a riot and driving with a suspended or revoked license.
When roughly 500 people descended upon the skating rink and surrounding businesses, deputies issued warnings but ultimately arrested 23 juveniles and 3 adults for the ensuing chaos
He said: 'Using social media to weaponize our youth is absolutely deplorable,' said Chronister at the press conference.
'As a parent, I cannot fathom what went through this woman's mind when she put lives at risk to provoke this mayhem.'
The live video allegedly showed Pedroso making violent threats and offering money to those who participated in the riot.
'For y'all, if y'all still go up there, tear the f*** out of them. I've got some money for y'all, and I'll pay y'all a**,' Pedroso allegedly said in the live video.
When roughly 500 people descended upon the skating rink and surrounding businesses, deputies issued warnings but ultimately arrested 23 juveniles and 3 adults for the ensuing chaos
The riot caused damage to five businesses, including a barber shop where a 16-year-old girl was reportedly thrown through the glass, resulting in $1,200 worth of damages.
Chronister said it took deputies six hours to disperse the crowd. He emphasized the seriousness of the situation and Hillsborough County's stance against such acts.
He added: 'This is a stark reminder of how quickly situations can spiral out of control and shows the importance of responsible behavior and the consequences of inciting violence.'
Florida's recent law tightening penalties for inciting a riot could mean up to five years in prison for Pedroso if convicted.
State Attorney Suzy Lopez said: 'Make no mistake, this case is not about free speech. This case is not about peaceful protesters. This case is about rioters and in Hillsborough County, we will prosecute rioters.'
