California teen pleads guilty after kicking sea lion 4 times
What's next: Tyler Muehl could get up to a year in prison and a $100,000 fine at sentencing in October.
Tyler Muehl, 18, pleaded guilty in federal court in San Diego to violating the Marine Mammal Protection Act after he repeatedly kicked and chased a sea lion in La Jolla on July 22. Prosecutors said Muehl struck the animal four times as it tried to flee along a seawall near Ellen Browning Scripps Park, then pursued it until it escaped over a concrete barrier onto the beach. The attack, captured on video that spread widely on social media, drew a federal investigation by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Muehl admitted the video accurately showed what happened. He is scheduled to be sentenced in October and faces up to one year in prison and a $100,000 fine.