Miley Cyrus' MTV awards date turns himself in on probation violation

[August 30, 2014]  (Reuters) - A homeless man who was chosen by Miley Cyrus to accept her MTV Music Video Award on Sunday has turned himself in on a probation violation and was free after posting bail, authorities in Oregon said on Friday.

Jesse Helt, 22, made headlines at Sunday's VMAs show when Cyrus opted not to collect the video of the year award for her hit "Wrecking Ball," sending Helt in her place as a way to draw attention to youth homelessness.

Helt had a warrant for his arrest on a probation violation for criminal trespass since November 2011 after he failed to report and comply with probation supervision, Polk County Director of Community Corrections Martin Silbernagel said.

Helt's probation officer said this week that local authorities had been looking for Helt in Salem, Oregon, after his mother told the Oregonian newspaper that Cyrus had given Helt money to fly home.

Helt turned himself in on Thursday evening and was released about 90 minutes later after posting the state-required 10 percent of his $25,000 bail, a spokeswoman for the Polk County Sheriff's Office said.

Helt's VMAs appearance drew widespread coverage when he said: "I've cleaned your hotels rooms, I've been an extra in your movies, I've been an extra in your life."

"Though I may have been invisible to you in the streets, I have many of the same dreams that brought many of you here."

Helt's mother, Linda Helt, told the Oregonian her son had moved to Los Angeles a few years ago and had been homeless at times.

Court records show Helt was arrested in 2010 for criminal mischief and criminal trespass and twice in 2011 for probation violations.

He is slated to appear in court on the probation charges on Sept. 16.

(Reporting by Chris Michaud in New York; Editing by Mary Milliken and Eric Beech)

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