Jesse Helt, Miley Cyrus' homeless date to the 2014 MTV Video Music Awards, was sentenced to jail on Tuesday, Oct. 7, after violating his probation.
The Associated Press reported that Helt, 22, was handcuffed in an Oregon court, after his attorney Whitney Boise — who was hired by Cyrus — asked the presiding judge to be lenient and give Helt one more opportunity to meet his probation. "In a few words, he wants to change his life," Boise said in court. "He wants to make a difference."
Long before he was Cyrus' date to the VMAs and became the face for homeless youth in America, Helt was arrested in 2010 for breaking into an apartment. In 2011, he violated his probation and moved to L.A., where he pursued a career as a model while working low-paying jobs. Helt met Cyrus when she visited a homeless youth shelter in L.A., where he was staying.
Per the AP, Boise argued Tuesday that Helt was raised in poverty, and was unaccustomed to discipline. The defense lawyer also claimed that her client hoped to help other homeless youth, and had plans for a brighter future.
Helt found himself in the spotlight for the first time ever this past August, when Cyrus brought him as her date to the VMAs. Cyrus had him accept the award for Video of the Year on her behalf, and Jesse delivered a heartfelt speech, which moved viewers — including the "Wrecking Ball" songstress — to tears.
"I am accepting this award for the 1.6 million runaways and homeless youth in the United States who are starving, lost and scared for their lives right now. I know this because I'm one of those people," Helt told the stunned audience. "I've survived in shelters all over the city. I've cleaned your hotel rooms, I've been an extra in your movies, I've been an extra in your life. Although I've been invisible to you I have a lot of the same dreams that have brought me to you tonight."
The sudden attention, though, prompted police to send out a warrant for Helt's arrest. Helt turned himself in to local authorities in Polk County, Ore., after posting $2,500 bail. Jesse's mother, Linda Helt, confirmed to the AP last month that Cyrus was helping pay her son's legal fees.
Standing before the court on Tuesday, Helt said: "I'd like to be viewed as a good person, not as a nuisance to society."