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Suspect Who Allegedly Stole McDormand Oscar Appears In Court

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) — A man who allegedly stole Frances McDormand's Oscar at the Governors Ball following the Academy Awards Sunday appeared in court Wednesday on a felony charge of grand theft.

Terry Bryant, 47, was  arraigned in a downtown Los Angeles courtroom Wednesday morning. He has been held on $20,000 bail since his arrest Sunday night for allegedly lifting McDormand's Oscar statuette, which she had just won for her work in "Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri."

Bryant entered a not guilty plea.

Police say Bryant had a ticket to the Governors Ball at the Hollywood & Highland complex.

Bryant took to Facebook Live with the statuette, telling people around him he won it. He allegedly told people he won the Oscar as a producer for the film "Get Out."

"Look at this, baby…my team got this tonight…this is mine!" he says in the video as people around him offer their congratulations.

A photographer who works for celebrity chef Wolfgang Puck noticed Bryant leaving with the Oscar and didn't recognize him as a winner. He helped security detain him until police arrived.

Bryant, who touts himself online as an entertainment journalist and a film and music producer, has a criminal history. His attorney argued in court Wednesday that Bryant was not a flight risk.

So how does Bryant get access to A-list parties like the Governors Ball? His attorney said that would all be revealed.

"Inside Edition,"  which aired mugshots of Bryant from 1999 to 2002, reported he has a record of theft and assault.

If convicted, Bryant faces up to three years behind bars.

(© Copyright 2018 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. City News Service contributed to this report.)

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