Miley Cyrus’ homeless VMA date finally turned himself in to police Thursday night and was formally arrested for violating the conditions of his probation.
Jesse Helt walked in to Polk County Jail in Dallas, Oregon just before 8pm and was booked in by duty officers.
Helt had been on the run from the authorities for three years and lived homeless on the streets of Los Angeles before he shot to fame at the MTV Video Music Awards last Sunday.
Martin Silbernagel, Polk County Director of Community Corrections, said the 22-year-old is expected to post $2,500 bail and will be released within hours.
‘He turned himself in and was arrested, we expect a court date in two weeks,’ he said.
Homeless Helt has been on the run from police since moving to Los Angeles, where he lived on the streets after breaking probation following a drugs test back in 2011.
A judge in his home state of Oregon issued a warrant for his arrest for repeatedly violating the terms of his probation.
Police visited Helt’s family home in Salem, Oregon Tuesday – the morning after he had flown in from LA following his MTV VMA stage appearance, where he accepted an award for Miley Cyrus.
But officers left empty handed after his mother, Linda Helt, said he was not home.
It is believed Helt has since been in crisis talks with family members, and it is understood Miley’s camp has been offering advice. Questions will also be raised as to whether Miley paid his bail to get him released.
Earlier today, an expensive SUV with California plates pulled up outside the family home and a well-dressed woman took a tray of drinks inside the house.
Helt was under mounting pressure to hand himself in after the head of corrections, Mr Silbernagel, sent him a stern message saying: ‘You can run and hide but we will find you’.
He added: ‘If he wants to continue living his life looking over his shoulder making sure law enforcement isn’t behind him, that’s up to him.
Helt could face up to a year in jail if a judge looks dimly on his behavior.
The spotlight first turned to wannabe model Helt when Cyrus put him on stage in front of millions of people to accept an award on her behalf at the MTV VMA bash in LA Sunday night.
The star wanted Helt’s speech to draw attention to 1.6million homeless youths and raise money for charity.
Cyrus first hit out on Twitter Tuesday after it was revealed that Jesse was a wanted man.
In one tweet, the Wrecking Ball singer wrote: ‘People who are homeless have lived very hard lives. Jesse included.’
She also tweeted that she hoped Jesse’s case ‘can be the start of a national conversation about youth homelessness and how to end it’ and added: ‘Does looking down upon the homeless help people excuse their inaction’.
The star’s defense of Jesse continued when she tweeted: ‘While the media obsesses over one homeless man’s legal issue, let’s help the other 1.6 million homeless youth.’
Earlier this week Helt’s father said it is ‘heart-breaking’ to learn his son was sleeping rough in Hollywood – but said he is baffled why his son never reached out for help.
Former Pepsi Cola executive Dennis Helt, 61, said: ‘I thought he was still chasing his dream, I didn’t know he was homeless, he didn’t share that information with me.
‘If I’d known then maybe I could have helped him. It’s heart-breaking knowing he was going through that when he’s got a family to fall back on.’ (dailymail.co.uk)
