Influencer sentenced to a year in prison for spraying Walmart produce with insecticide as a “prank”
TikTok prankster Wolfie Kahletti was sentenced to a year in jail for contaminating Walmart food with insecticide.
The 27-year-old influencer, whose real name is Charles Smith, went viral in December after posting a now-deleted TikTok. In the video, Smith filmed himself spraying a can of Hot Shot Ultra Bed Bug and Flea Killer on fruits, vegetables, and rotisserie chickens at a Walmart in Mesa, Arizona.
Although Smith claimed it was a prank, authorities took the act seriously. Just two days after the video was posted, Mesa police arrested Smith. He turned himself in and admitted to stealing the bug spray and using it on store items. According to police, the total value of the contaminated groceries was valued at $931 and had to be thrown away.
Wolfie Kahletti gets jail time for spraying insecticide on Walmart groceries
The Maricopa County Attorney’s Office indicted Smith on multiple charges, including two felony counts: burglary in the third degree and adding poison to food. Additionally, he faced misdemeanor charges for criminal damage and endangerment.
Initially, Smith pleaded not guilty through his attorney, but later pled guilty on April 22. A judge handed down a 12-month sentence with credit for 136 days served on June 24 for one count of adding poison or another harmful substance. He also received three years of probation for criminal damage and solicitation to commit burglary. Despite his online popularity, the court treated the offense with gravity. Officials stressed that such reckless behavior, even if posted under the guise of humor, poses real public health risks.
Furthermore, the Mesa Police Department released a statement warning others against similar stunts. “This incident underscores the potential dangers of reckless actions disguised as social media pranks,” the statement read. The department also emphasized that these actions can have serious consequences both legally and financially.
Social media pranks can lead to real-world consequences
Before his arrest, Smith had built a following by sharing prank and shock content across TikTok and Instagram. However, this particular video backfired quickly. After seemingly having a change of heart, Smith reportedly returned to the store and attempted to remove the poisoned food, though the damage was already done.
As a result of the incident, Walmart had to destroy all affected groceries.
The Mesa Police Department stated, "This incident underscores the potential dangers of reckless actions disguised as social media pranks."
The internet is chaotic—but we’ll break it down for you in one daily email. Sign up for the Daily Dot’s web_crawlr newsletter here to get the best (and worst) of the internet straight into your inbox.
Sign up to receive the Daily Dot’s Internet Insider newsletter for urgent news from the frontline of online.
The post Influencer sentenced to a year in prison for spraying Walmart produce with insecticide as a “prank” appeared first on The Daily Dot.