2 Guilty in Dangerous Prank on Autistic Man

Both are sentenced to community service
By Newser Editors and Wire Services
Posted Jun 15, 2016 11:33 AM CDT
2 Guilty in Dangerous Prank on Autistic Man
They were sentenced Tuesday.   (Harrison Sweazea, Missouri Senate via AP)

Two New Jersey men have been found guilty of endangering the welfare of an incompetent person by coaxing a man with autism to jump into a freezing ocean in a prank posted online. Authorities say Nicholas Formica, 22, and Christopher Tilton, 21, dared 20-year-old Parker Drake to eat a hamster for money, walk into the ocean for two packs of cigarettes, or jump from a jetty for the cigarettes and $20 in February 2015, per the AP. Drake refused the first two, but agreed to the latter option. A judge sentenced Formica to 90 days of community service instead of jail time on Drake's request on Tuesday. Tilton got 60 days of community service. (More New Jersey stories.)

Get the news faster.
Tap to install our app.
X
Install the Newser News app
in two easy steps:
1. Tap in your navigation bar.
2. Tap to Add to Home Screen.

X