Young men who scaled massive crane at Northwestern Mutual construction site won't be charged

MILWAUKEE -- FOX6 News has learned two young men who scaled a crane at the Northwestern Mutual construction site will not be criminally charged.

According to officials with the Milwaukee County District Attorney's Office, the young men must instead each perform 75 hours of community service, pay restitution to have the crane re-certified and write an apology.

The two 18-year-olds told FOX6 News they did it as a dare, and have no regrets.

"Imagine sitting on the top of that crane at the very edge," Alberto Fernandez said. "I was like 'I bet you wouldn't do it.' He said 'I bet you wouldn't do it.'"

Fernandez and his friend dared each other to take a very big risk.

"I said 'bet,' he said 'bet' and we just decided to come and scope it out," Fernandez said.

In the darkness of night, the two sneaked by security at the site and climbed the crane.

"We just ran up the wall and climbed on the crane and just got all the way up," Fernandez said.

Naturally, they filmed it.

"I was just enjoying the view like, the higher and higher we'd go up the crane," Fernandez said.

"I was just thinking about how much trouble we were going to get in," Robert Castillo said.

Fernandez and Castillo admit that what they did wasn't very smart.

"I was being really negative during the whole thing," Castillo said.

Police say they are investigating this incident, and Fernandez and Castillo could face criminal trespassing charges.

"It is stupid, yeah. It was stupid teenagers," Fernandez said.

But Fernandez and Castillo say social media has made it worth it.

"I was thinking about the Facebook views and about putting it up on my Snapchat," Fernandez said.

These young men are accepting all of the attention, even if it is negative.

"Whatever happens, happens," Fernandez said.

A Northwestern Mutual spokeswoman issued this statement to FOX6 News: