Dayjia Blackwell, a Philadelphia social media influencer who goes by “Meatball,” has pleaded guilty to a pair of charges stemming from a city-wide looting spree.
Blackwell had already achieved substantial internet fame, sharing comedic monologues and humorous content online, before she was arrested mid-livestream during a night of looting in Philadelphia. The chaos on the night of Sept. 26. was sparked by a judge’s decision last year to drop charges against former Police Officer Mark Dial, who faced prosecution for fatally shooting driver Eddie Irizarry during a traffic stop, the Philadelphia Inquirer reported.
Blackwell tailed frenzied crowds starting in Center City, recording and narrating while they tore through businesses, including Lululemon and an Apple Store on Walnut St.
“OK, where we going next? Where we going next?” Blackwell asked her audience after filming looters with their arms full of iPhones and iPads display models.
The stream garnered tens of thousands of viewers — among them law enforcement — and Blackwell was arrested alongside more than 50 others that same night.
On Thursday, the 22-year-old internet star took a plea deal to avoid prison time in connection with the looting spree, copping to counts of rioting with intent to commit a felony and criminal use of a communication facility. She was sentenced to five years of probation for each charge,150 hours of community service and a $10,000 fine.
Blackwell had initially been charged with six felonies and two misdemeanors, including burglary, conspiracy, riot, and criminal use of a communication facility.
Since her notorious livestream, Meatball has more than quintupled her internet following. As of Thursday, her Instagram page boasted more than 956,000 followers.
