Teen who kicked sea lion in viral video in California pleads guilty

An 18-year-old man from La Jolla who appeared in a viral video kicking a sea lion on the San Diego coast has pleaded guilty to harassing wildlife, the U.S. Department of Justice announced Thursday. The incident occurred July 22, and prosecutors handled the case in federal court because sea lions are federally protected. The guilty plea was entered for violating the Marine Mammal Protection Act. Prosecutors said Tyler Muehl admitted kicking the animal four times while it sat on a sea wall, including two kicks to its face, then chasing and attacking it again after it fled. The charge carries a maximum penalty of up to one year in prison and a $100,000 fine, with sentencing set for Oct. 20.