Note: This story contains graphic language.

A man featured in a sympathetic VICE News report about the struggles of sex offenders to re-enter American society sent a picture of his penis to the VICE reporter’s producer after they spoke.

“Aishef,” an Illinois man convicted of a sex crime as a teenager, sent a “d— pic” to reporter Alice Hines’ producer after an extended interview with Hines about his difficulties finding work and permanent housing after being released from prison.

“After this interview, Aishef sent a picture of his penis to our producer,” Hines said. “He later said through his lawyer that he sent it by mistake. Cyber-flashing is illegal in Chicago by city ordinance.”

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Hines made the revelation at the conclusion of her 40-minute report for VICE, a left-leaning outlet, and she admitted that she debated revealing that anecdote to viewers, for fear of clouding the segment’s narrative.

“Aishef” sent a photo of his penis to the producer of a VICE News segment he participated in, the outlet revealed.
(VICE YouTube / Screenshot)

“I think it’s up to the viewers to decide whether to believe it or not… We went back and forth a lot about it, because on the one hand, you could argue that it’s not relevant to the story of the injustice that Aishef faced at the hands of the state,” Hines said. “His lawyers would argue that the fact of the dick pic isn’t relevant, but we wanted to give the full story to our viewers.”

The general theme of the story was Americans are too unforgiving to sex offenders and don’t believe they deserve second chances. It delved into some offenders like Aishef who serve what’s known as “dead time,” where because they have no place to live due to rules surrounding where sex offenders can be housed, end up in prison longer than their original sentences.

In an interview with VICE News’ Krishna Andavolu about her report, Hines said she was “shocked” and “angry” over the offensive photo he sent. 

“He’s a complex person, and this is part of his complexity,” Hines said.

Aishef says he didn’t commit the crime – a sexual assault offense involving a sleeping female college student – although he pleaded guilty. At one point, he and Hines had a standoff where she said DNA evidence told a different story than him, but he defiantly said he was innocent. The woman he assaulted told VICE she woke up to him inappropriately touching her, called the police, and later picked him out of a lineup. According to the report, Aishef had earlier run-ins involving trespassing on her campus.

VICE reporter Alice Hines.
(VICE YouTube / Screenshot)

Aishef said the label of sex offender didn’t represent who he was, and he didn’t feel free despite not longer being incarcerated.

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Hines’ report also featured Sheriff James Mendrick of DuPage County, IIlinois, who was asked if the sex offender registry “stigmatizes” people who are trying to repair their lives. He said getting rid of the registry would lead to more sex crimes.

“I’d say don’t commit sex offenses if you don’t want to be on that registry,” he said. “I think that’s a serious-enough crime to where it’s not a simple slap on the wrist, and if there’s a stigma, it’s because you did something really bad. I think sex offenses are so personal, they damage people for the rest of their life.”

The segment revealed Ashief had been released and re-imprisoned twice for parole violations during what he said was 16 years behind bars; once for testing positive for marijuana, and again for violating the rules of a Christian group home.

FILE – The Chicago skyline is reflected in the water of the thawed snow as a cyclist passes by at North Avenue Beach on March 1, 2021, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Shafkat Anowar, File)

The VICE segment drew ridicule online after the surprise ending, with some saying it was an example of a liberal being mugged by reality.

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Hines and VICE didn’t respond to requests for comment.