Would-be influencer facing felony charge after Walmart produce sprayed with pesticide
A would-be Arizona influencer accused of spraying pesticides on produce at a Phoenix-area Walmart is facing felony charges following the stunt that was posted to social media.
Charles Smith, 27, was arrested after videos were uploaded to Instagram and TikTok showed a man spreading bug spray on yams, lemons, chicken and other produce at the Walmart in Mesa, according to the Arizona Republic, part of the Paste BN Network.
According to a press release from the Mesa Police Department, Smith faces one felony charge of introducing poison, as well as misdemeanor charges of theft, criminal damage and endangerment. A judge ordered him held on a $10,000 bond during a court appearance on Monday involving a separate third-degree burglary charge, according to reporting by AZ Family and KSAZ-TV.
It's unclear what led to the burglary charge against Smith, though at least one of his videos appears to show him taking something from a customer outside a business and running away.
Smith posts public prank videos under the username Wolfie Kahletti on Instagram and TikTok. On Instagram, he has a following of more than 300,000, but he's been banned on Tiktok.
Smith faces his next court appearance on Friday. Court records do not list an attorney representing him.
What happened?
Smith is accused of spraying the bug spray on the grocery items on the evening of Dec. 19.
"Through investigative means, and with assistance from the Tempe Police Department, detectives were able to identify Smith as the suspect," Detective Richard Encinas, told the Arizona Republic. "Mesa Police contacted Smith and he turned himself in voluntarily. During the interview, Smith admitted to the theft and spraying of the pesticide."
Smith was booked into jail on charges of introducing poison, criminal damage, endangerment and theft. The videos showing the incident were posted on social media under the username Wolfie Kahletti.
The videos show Smith dispensing the bug spray, and later two videos were subsequently uploaded with the captions, "Fooled u," "Threw them away" and "Promise I threw them away".
The videos show him taking large quantities of produce from the shelves, loading it into a shopping cart, and pushing the cart inside of the Walmart.
Followers warned of imminent arrest
In the video Smith posted showing something being taken from a customer at what appears to be a restaurant patio, followers commented that he was going to get in trouble someday soon.
"Can't wait til you're ARRESTED," one says, while another says: "How are these pranks when you're hurting someone?"
Fernando Cervantes Jr. is a trending news reporter for Paste BN. Reach him at fernando.cervantes@gannett.com and follow him on X @fern_cerv_.