UPDATED 4:27 P.M. ET (FEB. 8, 2012 U.S.A.) Charles Hersel informed the PP Blog today that he has been acquitted of the charges. The AP is confirming the acquittal.
Here, below, our earlier story . . .
A California man was arrested on charges he paid a teenager $31 to spit in his face, authorities said.
Charles Hersel, 39, of Thousand Oaks, was charged Wednesday night with the crime of “child annoying.” He was booked at the Ventura County Jail and released Thursday, after promising to appear in Ventura County Superior Court Dec. 21.
Ventura County Sheriff Bob Brooks and Thousand Oaks Police Chief Jeff Matson said the arrest was the result of a “sting operation.”
The alleged crime traces its roots to contacts Hersel made with teens on MySpace.com, a social networking site.
“[I]t didn’t take long for word to spread among local teens that they could get paid to spit in a man’s face,” police said. “Hersel has been paying young male Westlake High School students in cash to yell profanities at him, slap him in the face, and spit in his face.”
Police said Hersel also solicited teens to urinate and defecate on him, offering money in return.
Hersel’s apartment and computer were searched, police said.
The probe is ongoing. People with information about Hersel’s alleged activities are asked to call Det. Anthony Aguirre at 805-371-8309.