Teen who kicked sea lion in viral video in San Diego pleads guilty

An 18-year-old from La Jolla, Tyler Muehl, has pleaded guilty to harassing a federally protected sea lion after an incident on the San Diego coast on July 22. The U.S. Department of Justice announced the plea Thursday, about three weeks after the viral social media video circulated. Because sea lions are protected under federal law, the case was handled in federal court under the Marine Mammal Protection Act. Muehl admitted kicking the sea lion four times as it sat on a seawall, then chasing it and attacking it again. The maximum penalty is one year in prison and a $100,000 fine, with sentencing set for October 20.