Accused Drew Barrymore Stalker Arrested, Charged In Hamptons: Police

SOUTHAMPTON, NY — A man accused of stalking actress Drew Barrymore was arrested and charged Thursday night, police said.

Chad Michael Busto, 43, of Washington DC, was arrested Thursday at 11:59 p.m., Southampton Town police said.

Southampton Town Police patrol officers had previously made contact with Busto while investigating a 911 call regarding a "suspicious person" on Wednesday afternoon, police said.

Busto was located in the Village of Sagaponack, police said. Busto had been riding a bicycle up into private driveways and stating to area residents that he was looking for Drew Barrymore’s residence, police said.

He was suspected of stalking Barrymore due to previous incidents involving the actress, police said.

After a brief detainment for questioning by responding officers, Busto was released, and appeared to have left the area, police said.

Patrol officers notified the detective division and a follow-up investigation was conducted, police said.

That investigation led to facts that substantiated a charge for Stalking and a "wanted" flyer was distributed to neighboring agencies, police said.

On Thursday afternoon, East Hampton Town police located Busto, took him into custody, and turned him over to Southampton Town Police detectives for arrest processing, police said.

Busto was charged with fourth-degree stalking, a misdemeanor; he was held overnight to appear in Southampton Town justice court at Friday morning arraignment, police said.

Busto, who confronted Barrymore while she was onstage at the 92nd Street Y during a tense moment captured in a viral video, reportedly showed up days later near her Southampton estate, Upper East Side Patch reported.

According to Southampton Town Police Lieutenant Todd Spencer, initially, Busto "was not arrested" in Southampton. "He was temporarily detained and released. The investigation is ongoing," Spencer told Patch Thursday, before his arrest later that evening.

Before heading out to the Hamptons, Barrymore briefly rushed offstage Monday after the stalker, a man who identified himself as Busto, shouted at her from the audience.

"You know who I am," the man yelled, according to The Hollywood Reporter. "I need to see you at some point while I’m in New York."

The man made his way to the auditorium's front row, where security guards stopped and removed him from the Upper East Side theater, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

And it wasn't just the security guards who sprang to action to protect the "E.T." actress, who now has a talk show.

Barrymore's interviewer, singer Reneé Rapp, helped shepherd her to safety — an act of "protectiveness" that drew gratitude from the star.

"That went full 'Bodyguard,'" she said, before hugging Rapp. "You are my Kevin Costner."

An NYPD spokesperson told Patch that police didn't receive a complaint about the incident.

With reporting by Matt Troutman.