Arizona TikToker indicted for allegedly spraying pesticide at Mesa store: MCAO

A man who was seen spraying pesticide on grocery products at a big box retailer in the East Valley has been indicted.

The man, who officials with the Maricopa County Attorney's Office describe as a TikToker, turned himself in to police on Dec. 21.

Suspect indicted on multiple charges

Booking photo of Charles Smith

Big picture view:

In a statement, the Maricopa County Attorney's Office said 27-year-old Charles Smith was indicted by a grand jury on the following counts:

  • One count of 3rd Degree Burglary, which is a class 4 felony
  • Two counts of Adding Poison or Other Harmful Substance to Water, Food, Drink or Medicine, which is a class 6 felony
  • One count of Endangerment, which is a class 1 misdemeanor
  • One count of Criminal Damage, which is a class 1 misdemeanor

Incident happened in early December

Per our previous report on the matter, the incident happened Dec. 19 at a Walmart store in the area of Stapley Drive and Baseline Road.

Timeline:

The suspect, who was identified by Mesa Police as 27-year-old Charles Smith, allegedly entered the store at around 8:30 p.m. on the day of the incident.

"Smith entered the store intending to film pranks for social media but instead selected a can of Hot Shot Ultra Bed Bug and Flea Killer from the shelf without paying for it," read a portion of Mesa Police's statement. "He then sprayed the pesticide on various produce items, including vegetables, fruit, and rotisserie chickens that were available for purchase. Smith filmed his face, the pesticide can, and the act of spraying. He later posted the video online."

Per our previous report on the matter, Smith posted three videos related to the incident. In one video, he took a can of bug spray around the store, spraying produce and meat.

In the two other videos, Smith reportedly claimed he threw the contaminated food away, but he is seen gathering only some of the fruit and vegetables in a cart. Then he rolls it onto a Walmart trailer parked behind the store.

Smith has since deleted all three videos.

Mesa Police noted that the time between Smith spraying the produce and returning to put them in a cart was enough for shoppers to pick up contaminated produce unknowingly.

What They Said:

Officials with Walmart have issued a statement on the matter, which reads:

"The health and safety of our customers and associates is always a top priority. We have removed all directly impacted product and have cleaned and sanitized the affected area of the store. We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused for our customers as we work to resolve this issue. We will continue to work closely with law enforcement during their investigation."

Other influencers from Arizona have been involved in legal troubles

The incident involving Smith is not the only time a social media influencer from Arizona was involved in legal matters.

Dig deeper:

According to a November 2024 report from South Korean newspaper Korea JoongAng Daily, an American named Johnny Somali is facing trial in the Asian country for an incident he allegedly caused at a convenience store in the Seoul area.

The report states that Somali, whose legal name is Ramsey Khalid Ismael, is accused of obstruction of business. The influencer reportedly uploaded a video of himself pouring instant noodles on a table at the convenience store, after an employee stopped him from drinking alcohol in the store.

Per an article on the incident from Newsweek, Ismael was raised in Arizona, and attended Arizona State University. The article also notes that after he was banned from major social online platforms, Ismael used Rumble and TikTok to air his content.

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