Taiwan-based American influencer arrested, released over trespassing

Taipei, Aug. 24 (CNA) An American social media personality was released on Saturday, one day after being arrested in Taipei for trespassing in Yangmei Train Station, Taoyuan in January this year during a trip around the island, a police news release said.

The influencer was identified as 26-year-old Jacob Pugmire from the United States, said New Taipei's Tamsui Police Precinct in the release on Sunday, noting that officers took Pugmire into custody on Friday over an outstanding warrant.

Pugmire, who is based in Taiwan as a modeling content creator and fitness entrepreneur, was on an around-the-island walk early in the year which took him to Yangmei Train Station in Taoyuan in January.

In an earlier social media post, Pugmire explained that he intended to rest overnight in the train station after being told by netizens it was ok to do so.

The information was false, and the stationmaster at Yangmei Train Station filed a lawsuit against Pugmire after the social media personality uploaded content of himself sleeping inside the station as the gates lowered.

Pugmire was accused of trespassing in violation of Article 306 of Taiwan's Criminal Code, which states that "a person who without reason enters a dwelling house or structure of another" will be subjected to an imprisonment of up to one year or a fine of up to NT$9,000 (US$296).

As he was travelling around Taiwan after the lawsuit was filed against him, Pugmire was unable to provide police with a statement until May.

A court date for the case was set for August, which Pugmire claimed to have not been informed about.

Because the American influencer failed to show up in court, a warrant was issued for his arrest.

The Tamsui Police Precinct said that one of its officers spotted Pugmire during a cyber patrol online when the officer watched Pugmire host a livestream on Taipei's Zhongxiao East Road.

Tamsui officers found Pugmire at his livestream location and handcuffed him after he concluded streaming.

He was then taken into the custody of the Taoyuan District Prosecutors Office before being released on Saturday.