The Times Square “Cookie Monster”— accused of violently shoving a toddler whose mother wouldn’t tip him — will have his case dismissed after he does one day of community service in a deal struck Tuesday with Manhattan prosecutors.
Osvaldo Quiroz-Lopez, 33, and his defense lawyer said video surveillance of the April 7th 2013 scuffle exonerated him of any wrongdoing.
“I have always been innocent,” said the retired costume character as he left Manhattan Criminal Court. “And there’s video to prove my innocence – that I never had contact with the child.”
The Sesame Street huckster allegedy yelled “Give me money! Give me money! I get $2 for a photo!” at former beauty queen Parmita Katkar after her 2-year-old Samar posed for a picture with him and Elmo.
When Katkar, an actress from India, told him she didn’t have any cash on her she claimed the furry menace shoved the tot, nearly slamming him into the pavement.
Lopez was slapped with a reckless endangerment rap but claims he never touched the tot and it was Elmo who held him for the photo.
Prosecutors originally offered the temperamental Cookie Monster a dismissal if he completed two days of community service and two years of anger management.
“I took this because I’m really tired of this and just want to move on with my life,” said Quiroz-Lopez.
Cookie Monster is part of a growing gallery of renegade Times Square costumed characters who have been arrested while posing for photos in exchange for tips.
A man dressed as the courageous Toy Story cowboy Woody was busted last month for allegedly groping a tourist.
Another man dressed as Spider-Man was collared for punching a woman in the face when she refused to hand over cash. And an Elmo character was locked up in 2013 for trying to extort the Girl Scouts.