SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — On the same day that a search warrant was served on YouTuber Jake Paul's home in California, Scottsdale Police announced the department would dismiss charges against him in the interest of the community.
The department says the decision to stop pursuing the misdemeanor charges against Paul, as well as Arman Izadi and Andrew Leon, is so that an FBI investigation into the Fashion Square looting can be completed.
A statement from the FBI sent to 12 News says the warrant was served as part of a federal investigation into the Fashion Square looting but the FBI can't comment further. The full statement is below:
"The FBI is investigating allegations of criminal acts surrounding the incident at Scottsdale Fashion Square in May 2020. This morning the FBI executed federal search warrants in California and Las Vegas, Nevada in connection with this investigation. The search warrant affidavits are sealed and we are, therefore, prohibited from commenting further."
Depending on the outcome of a federal investigation, Scottsdale PD says it could re-submit criminal charges against Paul.
Scottsdale police submitted charges against Paul after video showed the 23-year-old inside the Fashion Square Mall during the looting.
Hundreds of tips were sent to police after multiple videos of the vandalism at the Scottsdale Fashion Square showed Paul participating while it was being vandalized, the Scottsdale Police Department said.
Scottsdale police has continued to make arrests after gathering evidence from that night. At least 47 people have been arrested to date.
FBI agents issued a federal search warrant Wednesday morning on Paul's Los Angeles home.
A spokesperson at the Los Angeles FBI field office confirmed to TEGNA over the phone that Paul's Calabasas home had been searched by agents early Wednesday.
The FBI says the affidavit on that warrant has been sealed by a judge and they cannot say when the seal will be lifted, the spokesperson said.
Authorities were seen seizing what appeared to be multiple firearms from Paul's home Wednesday, Los Angeles station ABC7 reported.
An FBI spokesperson told the Hollywood Reporter that there were no plans to make arrests at this time.
Reports of at least one large party at the residence made headlines, accusing Paul of not taking proper safety precautions during the coronavirus pandemic.