Heston James is a popular TikToker who was recently arrested after carrying out a series of disruptive pranks, find out more about him and the incident below
Authorities arrested Heston James on July 23, 2025, after his so-called prank videos turned into a full-blown criminal case.
James faces 13 charges after impersonating staff and staging viral pranks at Arizona businesses and is facing felony charges after authorities say he led a months-long spree of disruptive stunts across Arizona.
Who is Heston ‘James’ Cobb, TikTok star and prankster arrested for his pranks in Arizona: Bio, age, net worth and Instagram
BREAKING: TikTok Star Heston James Arrested After Viral Pranks Targeting Tempe Businesses – Could Face Years Behind Bars 👀
Tempe police arrested TikTok influencer Heston Cobb aka Heston James, who is charged with one count of third-degree burglary, two counts of criminal… pic.twitter.com/He0QwDHV93
— MAGAgeddon (@MAGAgeddon) July 25, 2025
TikTok prankster Heston James (Heston Cobb) arrested by Tempe PD for:
1 count of Burglary in the Third Degree
2 counts of Criminal Impersonation
5 counts of Disorderly Conduct
5 counts of Criminal Trespass https://t.co/pU2o9RhNkg pic.twitter.com/TjSREMPz67— Kyle Simchuk (@KyleSimchuk) July 24, 2025
James is renowned for pulling off disruptive stunts in local businesses, and police finally took action after months of public complaints and video evidence.
Heston James arrested for his disruptive pranks
Tempe police recently arrested a popular TikToker by the name of Heston James, whose real name is Heston Cobb, after he carried out a string of disruptive pranks between March and July 2025. Heston was reportedly wearing fake uniforms before he and his group entered businesses like Pep Boys, Jiffy Lube, Chipotle, and others, pretending to be staff. The group reportedly accessed employee-only areas, caused confusion, and refused to leave when asked.
In one of the viral pranks, James posed as a corporate mechanic and convinced people to crawl under customer vehicles. That video racked up over 12 million views, and another clip showed him stealing supplies from Chipotle while dressed as a fake cleaning crew.
Charges and allegations
Following the arrest, Heston James now faces serious legal consequences. Authorities have charged him with one count of third-degree burglary, two counts of criminal impersonation, five counts of disorderly conduct, and five counts of criminal trespass. Tempe Police also labeled him as the ringleader behind the stunts and stated the charges reflect the real-world harm that his actions caused.
Official statement from police
The Tempe Police Department issued an official release stating:
Diligent police work connected 21-year-old Heston Cobb to the social media platforms as the leader of these pranks.”
Meanwhile, officer Jessica Ells also spoke out, saying:
These videos are definitely not pranks. They are crossing the line from something that’s fun and playful into criminal territory. They’re breaking laws.”
This is why Heston James got arrested by Tempe PD…
If youth swarmed my business I would hit them with the tire iron. Self-defense of property, employees and customer assets.
These guys exercised great restraint. But his mom still needs to beat his ass until it is beet red pic.twitter.com/FlpJCvQCdz
— Blonde Technology (@BlondeTechCEO) July 26, 2025
Heston James biography and age
American Heston Cobb, better known by his handle Heston James online, is a 21-year-old digital content creator and prankster. He quickly became a recognizable face on TikTok following his prank videos and high-energy persona. However, just recently, Heston’s fame took a dark turn after he was arrested for his content.
One of his most popular pranks involves him screaming in a retail store and has typically used a backup team in his pranks in order to shift the blame from himself. He is known for gaslighting retail store employees who initially suspect him of screaming in the store.
He started his HestonJames YouTube channel in December 2014 and the first video on his channel is titled ANGRY MAN VS HOME DEPOT EMPLOYEE.
His net worth stands between $500,000-$1 million.
TikTok career
Heston James initially rose to internet fame by posting all kinds of bold and often reckless prank videos on TikTok. He had over 1.6 million followers at his peak, and his content mainly involved pretending to be store employees and orchestrating all kinds of bizarre, staged antics in public. James earned millions of views and a good amount of ad revenue through his content. However, that same content has also triggered all kinds of backlash and legal consequences, as authorities arrested him and TikTok shut down his official account.
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