Pershing County received some unwelcome publicity from the tabloid press after the arrest last month of a former boyfriend of a celebrity supermodel at Burning Man. Suspect Vito Schnabel spent a short time in the county jail after his arrest on September 3 for alleged possession of a controlled substance.
After a number of inquiries for information, Sheriff Jerry Allen issued a press release on the Schnabel case to stop or slow down the calls. Schnabel’s first court appearance was waived by his attorney and a new date for his preliminary hearing had not been set last week said Judge Karen Stephens.
Radar Online immediately published the “exclusive” details of the arrest on it’s celebrity news website.
“Heidi Klum kicked her boyfriend of three years to the curb – and he landed behind bars!” said Radar. “A spokesperson for the Pershing County Jail in Nevada confirmed to Radar that Schnabel was arrested on September 3rd for the distribution and manufacturing of the controlled substance Psilocybin which is also known as psychedelic mushrooms.”
The TMZ celebrity news site had the same “exclusive” info with a twist. How could anyone be arrested for drugs at Burning Man?! Wonderwall on MSN, Yahoo News and the Daily Mail had the same story.
“Heidi Klum’s ex managed to do what’s seemingly impossible – get busted for mushrooms at Burning Man,” said TMZ last week. Klum and Schnabel were photographed cycling the playa together at last year’s Burning Man but the couple has split up after a three year relationship according to TMX.
Like most burners, Schnabel posted bail right away and was released the same day he was arrested.
