The young homeless man who accompanied Miley Cyrus to the MTV Video Music Awards and who was sought on an arrest warrant has turned himself in.

Jesse Helt, 22, went to the Polk County Jail in Dallas, Oregon, was booked on a probation violation warrant and then posted $2,500 bail, said Martin Silbernagel, director of Polk County Community Corrections. He is expected to appear before a judge in about two weeks.

Court records show Helt pleaded guilty to misdemeanour criminal mischief and criminal trespass several years ago and was sentenced to 30 days in jail and probation. The arrest warrant was issued in November 2011 after he violated probation when he was arrested in 2010 and accused of breaking into the apartment of a man who had been selling what Helt believed to be bad marijuana. Helt moved to Los Angeles and lived on the streets while trying to find work as a model.

He gained worldwide attention on Sunday when Cyrus let him accept her award for video of the year. Helt, who met Cyrus through the Hollywood homeless centre My Friend’s Place, called attention to the issue of youth homelessness.

“I am accepting this award on behalf of the 1.6 million runaways and homeless youth in the US who are starving, lost, and scared for their lives right now,” Helt said. “I know this because I am one of these people.”

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