LOS ANGELES, CA – A YouTuber who staged a California plane crash to make a YouTube video of himself parachuting to safety has been sentenced to six months in federal prison.
The YouTuber, Trevor Daniel Jacob, pleaded guilty in June to one count of destruction and concealment with the intent to obstruct a federal investigation. Sentenced on Monday by U.S. District Judge George H. Wu, Jacob was also sentenced to three years of supervised release.
Trevor Daniel Jacob
In November 2021, Youtuber Jacob deliberately crashed a small plane in a remote area of California.
He then parachuted to safety and filmed the entire incident. He later posted the video to his YouTube channel, where it was viewed millions of times.
However, Jacob’s stunt did not go unnoticed. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) launched an investigation into the crash. During the investigation, Jacob lied to investigators about the location of the plane wreckage.
Jacob’s lawyers argued that he had not intended to obstruct the investigation, but simply did not want to get in trouble with the FAA. However, Judge Wu disagreed, finding that Jacob’s actions were “willful and deliberate.”
“Mr. Jacob’s actions were not only dangerous but also a serious threat to the safety of the aviation industry,” said Judge Wu. “His sentence should serve as a deterrent to others who might consider engaging in similar conduct.”
In addition to the prison sentence, Jacob has also been ordered to pay restitution to the FAA for the cost of the investigation.
This case is a reminder that staging stunts for social media can have serious consequences. Jacob’s actions put himself and others at risk, and he is now facing the consequences of his decisions.
Here are some additional details about the case:
- Jacob is an experienced pilot and skydiver.
- He has over 1 million subscribers on YouTube.
- The video of the plane crash has been viewed over 10 million times.
- Jacob’s stunt caused significant damage to the environment.
This case is a cautionary tale for anyone who is considering staging a stunt for social media. It is important to think carefully about the potential consequences of your actions before doing anything that could put yourself or others at risk.
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In addition to the above, here are some other key takeaways from the case:
- Social media stunts can have serious legal consequences.
- YouTubers and other social media influencers have a responsibility to be mindful of the impact of their actions.
- It is important to be truthful with law enforcement officials.
Source:
YouTuber whose plane crashed agrees to plead guilty to staging incident
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