Earlier today I covered the news that Miley Cyrus’ homeless friend who accepted her Best Video Award on behalf of homeless youth might not be exactly who he represented himself to be, ie. a lost and scared young person with little to no other options. A few commenters took me to task for that, insinuating that I was being insensitive and judgmental, and for that I sincerely apologize.
As it turns out, I was wrong to suggest that Jesse Helt was a “representation of a ‘me’ generation of self-obsessed, entitled twats,” because — in a twist in the story — the aspiring male model is actually just a petty criminal wanted for probation violation in Oregon. NBC News reports:
He was arrested in October 2010 and told the officer that he and a friend tried to break into an apartment because the man who rented it had sold them bad marijuana, according to an affidavit.
The 22-year-old pleaded guilty to criminal trespass and criminal mischief, both misdemeanors, a month later, said Jon Troike, a senior judicial services specialist for Polk County, Oregon. Helt spent at least three weeks in jail and was sentenced to probation and drug treatment.
He has two other probation violations, Troike said. After the second, in August 2011, he was threatened with six months in jail if he violated probation again. Three months later, he failed to report to his probation officer.
So at best, Jesse Helt is a troubled youth and at worst, an irresponsible sh*thead. According to The Oregonian, he’s on his way home to visit his family (on Miley’s dime, of course) so it’s unclear whether or not law enforcement will be waiting for him at the airport. Either way I think it’s safe to say his modeling career just hit another bump.
For her part, Miley took to Twitter to defend her friend: