San Diego, California – An 18-year-old California teen has pleaded guilty to a charge of violating the Marine Mammal Protection Act resulting from kicking a sea lion in La Jolla Cove near Ellen Browning Scripps Park on July 22.
According to sources, Tyler Muehl admitted to repeatedly kicking at the sea lion and entered his guilty plea on August 13.
In a press release, NOAA-Fisheries Office of Law Enforcement West Coast Division Assistant Director Eric Morgan said:
“National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Fisheries Office of Law Enforcement takes all violations of the Marine Mammal Protection Act very seriously. Intentionally striking or kicking a marine mammal is not only illegal—it is dangerous for the well-being of the animal.”
The U.S. Attorney’s Office release describes the incident in detail:
The defendant admitted that he kicked at the sea lion four different times and that he made contact while kicking at the animal. Muehl twice forcefully kicked at the sea lion’s face, which caused the sea lion to rear flinch and immediately recoil. After the second kick, the sea lion turned and tried to flee, but Muehl chased after the animal and kicked at it a third time. As the sea lion tried to get away, it stumbled on the sea wall as it fled. Muehl kicked at the sea lion a fourth time and continued to chase the animal, ending his pursuit only when the sea lion escaped over the sea wall and made it to the beach. Muehl agreed as part of his plea agreement that a video capturing the event was a fair and accurate recording of what occurred.
Muehl is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. Magistrate Judge Jill L. Burkhardt on October 20, 2026, at 9:30 am.
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