He was stuck between his rocks and a hard place.
A popular Union Square crystal dealer was found guilty of unlicensed vending Wednesday despite arguing that his mystical “sculptures” should be exempt from city strictures.
Urban shaman Angel Silva was busted in September 2012 for hawking polished stones that are purportedly able to heal all types of spiritually dented New Yorkers.
The Union Square fixture practices Palo Mayombe – a voodoo-like religion related to Santeria that allegedly gives him magical restorative powers.
The Queens resident said he pulls in between $80 and $150 dollars a day from his loyal customers.
Backed by dozens of supporters in the Manhattan court gallery, Silva told Manhattan Criminal Court Judge Diana Boyar that he should be exempt from the vending license requirement because he sells his own art.
“Just like a painter,” said his impassioned attorney Steven Hoffman. “You can sell your paintings on the streets of New York without a permit.”
“He’s taking them and imparting his knowledge, his wisdom, and his awareness,” he said of Silva and his stones.
But prosecutor Christopher Hirsch wasn’t buying the New Age chatter and flatly questioned the uniqueness of Silva’s creations.
“There is nothing special about those rocks,” he said. “New York has an incredibly large population and has a limited amount of space and if it didn’t restrict number of licenses made available vendors would be able to crowd out sidewalks, it would increase congestion.”
Judge Boyar eventually agreed with Hirsch and found Silva guilty of unlicensed vending.
“Is there anything you’d like to say?” she asked the crestfallen craftsman.
“Art is beautiful,” he replied.
The prosecutor’s cold dismissal of his talent nearly brought Silva to tears. “It really broke my heart,” he said after his guilty verdict. “I almost cried. People like this aren’t educated about the power of the crystals.”
Silva insisted that he’ll return to Union Square with his potent pebbles despite the bitter legal setback.
“It’s still art and I’m going to sell them in the park,” he fumed.
But first, the healer must hand over $200 in surcharges.