La Jolla teen pleads guilty after viral video shows sea lion kicking
Eighteen-year-old Tyler Muehl admitted in federal court to repeatedly kicking a California sea lion at La Jolla Cove, violating the Marine Mammal Protection Act.
Tyler Muehl, an 18-year-old resident of the affluent La Jolla neighborhood, pleaded guilty in federal court to violating the Marine Mammal Protection Act after a video showed him pursuing and kicking a sea lion at La Jolla Cove. The footage, posted on Snapchat and Instagram, captured Muehl approaching the animal with his hands raised, shouting a reference to UFC fighter Max Holloway, and delivering four kicks as the sea lion tried to flee.
He admitted to the assault in a plea deal, acknowledging that his actions constituted illegal harassment of a marine mammal. U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon labeled the behavior a federal crime, while NOAA’s Fisheries Office of Law Enforcement highlighted the danger such acts pose to wildlife. The misdemeanor carries a maximum sentence of one year in prison and a $100,000 fine, with sentencing scheduled for October 20 before Magistrate Judge Jill L. Burkhardt. The case underscores federal commitment to enforcing wildlife protection statutes.
Why it matters
The case demonstrates that federal wildlife laws can be applied to punish animal cruelty captured and shared online.
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