The Palm Beach Post is reporting that Robert Van Winkle, a.k.a. Vanilla Ice, has accepted a plea deal following his February arrest for allegedly burglarizing a home adjacent to a property featured in his house-flipping reality show, The Vanilla Ice Project. Specifically, police claim that a pool heater, furniture, artwork, a bicycle, ”and more” were removed from the property. The home’s listed owner, Morgan James Wilbur III, passed away in 2008, and robbing the deceased is apparently not covered by Florida’s “wax a chump like a candle” law governing property disputes.
Rather than face grand theft charges, Van Winkle has agreed to pay $1,139 to the Wilbur estate, perform 100 hours of community service for Habitat For Humanity, and complete a four-hour anti-crime course. Following the hearing, Van Winkle affirmed his innocence, stating, “I never had any criminal intent. It’s just unfortunate, but here we are. I’m moving forward.” In regards to the community service, he added, “This is an easy thing. It’s like asking the Pope to pray.” Such comments either confirm Van Winkle’s natural affinity for home construction, or suggest that the Holy Pontiff only communes with the Lord under court order.
Meanwhile, the Ice Man’s legal troubles haven’t stopped the DIY Network from airing the current season of The Vanilla Ice Project. It’s easy to imagine network heads having concerns about his arrest, but fortunately for Van Winkle, it seems his lawyers had the foresight to draft an “If there’s a problem, yo I’ll solve it” clause into his contract.