A YouTuber who staged a plane crash for views and then lied to federal authorities has been sentenced to six months in prison.
Trevor Jacob, a former Olympic snowboarder, admitted that he planned to crash his plane in a California forest and film himself parachuting to safety.
Jacob, 30, posted the video of the stunt on his YouTube channel in December 2021, claiming it was an accident. He also promoted a wallet company in the video, which he said was part of a sponsorship deal. The video went viral, attracting almost three million views before it was taken down.
Jacob leaving the plane before the crash. (Trevor Jacob)
However, some viewers were suspicious of Jacob’s story, noting that he was already wearing a parachute and did not try to land the plane. Jacob also reported the crash to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), but failed to preserve the wreckage as required. He later returned to the crash site by helicopter and removed and destroyed the evidence.
Jacob pleaded guilty in June 2023 to one count of destruction and concealment with the intent to obstruct a federal investigation. He faced a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, but agreed to a plea deal that reduced his sentence to six months.
Federal prosecutors said that Jacob’s motive was to generate social media and news coverage for himself and to obtain financial gain. They also said that his conduct was “daredevil” and “cannot be tolerated”.
Jacob issued a statement after his sentencing, saying that he was “humbled” by the experience and that he accepted the “right decision”. He also apologized to his fans and the NTSB for his actions.
