Despite having 36 years worth of life experience on this Earth, Louisiana resident Lenise Martin III found himself on the receiving end of some ice cold justice on Saturday after he posted a Facebook video of him picking out a carton of Blue Bell ice cream at a supermarket, then licking and even fingering the treat before returning it to the chilled shelf.
Even though the 36-year-old was able to provide police officers with a receipt suggesting that he later bought the ice cream in question, he still faces charges related to his sharing of the act on Facebook, possibly encouraging others to do the same.
“Taking into consideration that he eventually purchased the same container is one thing,” Assumption Parish Sheriff's Office Commander Lonny Cavalier told CNN Sunday. “However he puts it on Facebook to gain this notoriety, and at the end of the day, it gives other people ideas that are not the best interest of public health.”
The Louisiana man’s bond hearing was supposedly set for Monday, but no announcement has been made concerning the amount or whether he made bond.
Martin’s taste for fame leading him astray comes just a week after a Texas woman went viral for defiling another carton of ice cream from the same company.
The woman was later identified by authorities as a minor under the age of 18. Due to her age, police refused to release her full name, but Blue Bell did note on their website, via a July 5 statement, that the young woman’s fate rests in the hands of the Texas Juvenile Justice Department.
A slew of other young copycats have recorded themselves trying their own luck against law enforcement in similar stunts.
Despite the outcomes of their actions, it would appear the likes, retweets and overall social media engagement take precedence over human decency.
Blue Bell notes on their website that they are currently “looking at methods within our manufacturing process to add additional protection to the carton.”
Nevertheless, some stores are taking matters into their own hands in terms of precautionary measures.
In both Blue Bell licking cases, it remains unclear whether the video recorder of the act will also face charges.