Influencer pleads guilty to criminal impersonation for viral pranks at Arizona businesses
Investigators said the prank videos drew millions of views and could have generated large amounts of income.
- On Friday, TikTok personality Heston Cobb, known online as Heston James, pleaded guilty to three counts of criminal impersonation in Maricopa County Superior Court for staged takeovers at Tempe businesses.
- To create viral social media content, Cobb staged elaborate business takeovers by falsely claiming to represent corporate offices at locations including Chipotle, Pep Boys, and Big Brand Tire & Service.
- During the encounters, employees repeatedly blocked kitchen access or called Tempe Police to remove the group. Two videos highlighted by police had nearly 22 million Instagram views combined when Cobb was arrested.
- Prosecutors agreed to dismiss remaining charges at sentencing under the plea agreement. Cobb must pay restitution, remove videos from social media, and avoid all contact with the affected businesses.
- Sentencing is scheduled for October 1. Defense attorney Vicki Lopez previously identified defenses regarding lack of criminal intent, but Cobb changed his plea to guilty.
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Influencer pleads guilty to criminal impersonation for viral pranks at Arizona businesses - Regional Media News
PHOENIX (AP) - A social media influencer known for posting viral videos of pranks has pleaded guilty to criminal impersonation in Arizona for posing as an employee of businesses in a Phoenix suburb and orchestrating brief but chaotic takeover attempts. The outcome was welcomed by [...]
Influencer pleads guilty to criminal impersonation for viral pranks
PHOENIX (AP) — A social media influencer known for posting viral videos of pranks has pleaded guilty to criminal impersonation in Arizona for posing as an employee of businesses in a Phoenix suburb and orchestrating brief but chaotic takeover attempts.The outcome was welcomed by observers who said it could serve as a reminder to seekers of viral fame that stunts that cross the line legally can lead to serious ramifications.Heston James Cobb, who…
Influencer pleads guilty to criminal impersonation for viral pranks at Arizona businesses
An influencer known for posting viral prank videos has pleaded guilty to criminal impersonation in Arizona for posing as an employee of businesses in a Phoenix suburb and orchestrating brief but chaotic takeover attempts
A prank involving hijacking a store to gain views, which garnered millions of views, has landed a popular American TikToker in legal trouble.
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