The New York man who has been accused of hurling a racist insult at Today show star Craig Melvin after slipping into a historic NBC building was sentenced to six months in prison over a separate arrest.
Andrew Truelove, 41, appeared in New York Criminal Court in downtown Manhattan on Wednesday afternoon over multiple third-degree criminal mischief charges in an unrelated incident last May 30, of which the details were not immediately available.
Truelove, wearing a tan jumpsuit, pleaded guilty to violating his probation in this incident. Judge Gregory Carro sentenced Truelove to six months prison plus five years probation in a brief appearance that lasted less than 10 minutes.
Truelove flashed a wide-eyed look several times while staring around a courtroom on the building’s 13th floor, including when he was taken away.
He only spoke in brief phrases while acknowledging his plea and did not make any other statements.
Truelove is scheduled to return to court on November 16 to face two counts of hate crime charges related to his NBC breach on the morning of July 16.
He allegedly racially insulted Melvin and later told him that he ‘always wanted to call a black famous person the n–word,’ per a criminal complaint cited by CNN.
Truelove was arrested on July 13, 2025, over the criminal mischief charges that he faced in court on Wednesday. He was released after that arrest before the alleged incident at NBC a year later.
Andrew Truelove, 41, was sentenced to prison when he appeared in New York Criminal Court on Wednesday afternoon
Truelove will be back in court in November to face hate crime charges related to allegations of sneaking into an NBC building and racially insulting Today show co–host Craig Melvin
Melvin allegedly asked Truelove if ‘that’s what you wanted to get arrested for’ after the incident
Truelove was arrested at the Rockefeller Center in midtown Manhattan for allegedly insulting Melvin on July 16, 2026, and has remained in custody since.
He allegedly entered the iconic NBC building around 9am by sneaking behind an employee who could swipe into restricted areas using their identification badge, CNN reported.
Truelove allegedly entered looking for Al Roker, and once he saw Melvin started yelling that he wanted to see the Today weather anchor.
After that, he allegedly approached Melvin and insulted him racially before being taken into custody near the building’s Studio 1A.
The reported criminal complaint alleged that Melvin asked Truelove if ‘that’s what you wanted to get arrested for.’
Melvin addressed the incident on Instagram shortly after it happened, saying that he was ‘doing just fine.’
NBC said in a statement that ‘there was no altercation, and no one was injured’ during Truelove’s alleged breach.
‘TODAY is cooperating fully with law enforcement as they investigate the matter,’ the statement continued. ‘NBC and TODAY take the safety and security of our employees, talent, staff and guests extremely seriously.’
Truelove was taken into custody last July 13 for the incident that he appeared in court on Wednesday for
Melvin posted on social media that he was ‘doing just fine’ after the July incident involving Truelove
The network added that it was reviewing the incident and its security protocols due to what happened.
The Daily Mail was previously told that security concerns were being addressed, with an insider likening the studio to ‘Fort Knox.’
The breach came after host Savannah Guthrie’s mother, 84-year-old Nancy Guthrie, was taken from her Tucson, Arizona, home on January 31.
Savannah, 54, found Truelove’s actions ‘incredibly triggering.’
Truelove is also expected back in court on October 9 over a third unrelated case that started this January.
He was charged with third-degree assault with intent to cause physical injury in that case, where he has pleaded not guilty.
Truelove was homeless for two decades in states including California, Florida, Maryland and Virginia before allegedly racially targeting Melvin, the Los Angeles Times reported.
If convicted in the case involving Melvin, Truelove could face up to 15 years in prison.
He had recently started sleeping in the New York City subway tunnels and was not bothered by the rats, according to the report.
Truelove allegedly slipped into the NBC building by trailing an employee who was able to swipe into restricted areas using their identification
His half-sister, who was unnamed, told the outlet that Truelove did not take his schizophrenia medication and was ‘very sick and very mentally ill.’
Truelove had previously been remanded to Rikers Island in July without bail after violating probation, according to The New York Post.
He had already been sentenced in June to time served and probation after spending six months in prison in a criminal mischief case.
In 2007, Truelove had been convicted of trying to abduct an eight-year-old from a school in Norfolk, Virginia, per WFMD.
Truelove was sentenced to 10 years in prison for the abduction attempt, with six years suspended, and given 10 years of probation, the outlet reported.
He has faced previous charges of trespassing, destruction of property, making bomb threats, and multiple probation violations in Virginia, as well.
The Daily Mail has reached out to the Legal Aid Society, which is representing Truelove, for comment.
