‘Soho Karen’ Miya Ponsetto Arrested in California

Miya Ponsetto, 22, who became known as “Soho Karen” after falsely accusing a 14-year-old boy of stealing her iPhone, has been arrested on a felony fugitive warrant in her home state of California. Video footage shows Miya attacking teenager Keyon Harrold Jr. and his father in a New York City hotel lobby on December 26 after they refused to hand over his phone. Her phone was found in an Uber later. The video went viral inciting many people to call for her arrest for her violent attack which some have called racially motivated though she claims being Puerto Rican as a reason why it was not.

Soho Karen Miya Ponsetto who allegedly attacked 14yr old kid Keyon Harrold jr. over false stolen iPhone is seen at a California McDonalds after fleeing NYC. pic.twitter.com/ymoej4wZyg

— VideoMixtape.com (@VideoMixtape_) January 2, 2021

At some point after the incident, Miya returned to California and according to NBC News, she was “forcibly” arrested in front of her home in Piru, California on Thursday, almost two weeks after her false accusation against Keyon. The Ventura County Sheriff’s Department says that Miya resisted arrest after they initially made contact with her at a traffic stop, refusing to stop her car until she made it home, at which point officers removed Miya from her vehicle after she attempted to slam a car door on one of the officers. TMZ reports she will likely face additional charges of resisting arrest.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CJon7XjjuTp/?utm_source=ig_embed

The arrest comes just hours after Miya spoke exclusively with CBS This Morning’s Gayle King about the December 26 altercation. During the interview, Miya asserted that she was asking people who were exiting the hotel if they had stolen her phone, and that she did not target Keyon.

The 22-year-old woman caught on camera allegedly physically attacking a 14-year-old Black teen and falsely accusing him of stealing her phone was arrested in California.

In an exclusive interview, Miya Ponsetto and her lawyer spoke with @GayleKing hours before she was arrested. pic.twitter.com/ezaGkcWZ8j

— CBS Mornings (@CBSMornings) January 8, 2021

“I admit, yes. I could have approached the situation differently, or maybe not yelled at him like that and made him feel you know, and made him feel maybe some sort of inferior way, making him feel as if I was like hurting feelings, because that was not my intention. I consider myself to be super sweet,” she told Gayle. “I don’t feel that this one mistake does define me,” she continued. “But, I do sincerely from the bottom of my heart apologize that if I made the son feel as if I assaulted him or if I hurt his feelings or the father’s feelings,” going on to place blame on Keyon’s father for physically defending his son after Miya tackled him to the ground.

“How is one girl accusing a guy about a phone a crime,” she questioned, seeming to completely ignore the fact that she physically assaulted a minor and continuing not to accept responsibility for her actions.

Although specific charges have yet to be named, Miya will be extradited to New York. TMZ reported she has 2 DUI busts in 2020 and was arrested with her mom in February for allegedly being drunk in public at the Peninsula hotel in Bev Hills.