George Zinn, the Deranged Anti-Trump Activist Who Falsely Claimed He Shot Charlie Kirk to Shield Real Assassin, Sentenced to Prison for Child Sex Crimes
George Zinn, the deranged anti-Trump activist who falsely claimed he shot Charlie Kirk to assist the true assassin, has been sentenced to a maximum of 15 years in prison following his guilty plea to two counts of sexual exploitation of a minor and a no-contest plea to obstruction of justice.
Zinn claimed that he spontaneously confessed to the shooting to give the real assassin time to escape.
The charges arose from the discovery of child pornography on the 71-year-old activist’s cellphone during his detention at the scene of conservative activist Charlie Kirk’s fatal shooting in September.
Kirk, the 31-year-old founder of Turning Point USA, was shot and killed by alleged gunman Tyler Robinson during an event at Utah Valley University, which Zinn attended.
Amid the chaos following the shooting, Zinn shouted, “I shot him! Now shoot me!” in an attempt to divert law enforcement’s attention from the actual shooter, according to his own admission. This action led to the obstruction of justice charge, a third-degree felony.
While Zinn was detained, authorities examined his cellphone and found more than 20 sexual images of children as young as 5 years old.
The images showed the children at least partially naked and posed in a sexual manner, resulting in two second-degree felony counts of sexual exploitation of a minor.
Each sexual exploitation charge carries a potential sentence of one to 15 years, while the obstruction charge adds one to five years. The judge ordered the sentences to run concurrently, meaning Zinn faces a maximum of 15 years behind bars.
Zinn’s actual time served will be determined by the Utah Board of Pardons and Parole.
During the sentencing hearing, Zinn wept and addressed the court.
He stated, “I wish the court to know I am not and will never be a danger to children or their parents.” He further expressed his “every desire and commitment to change and lead a responsible and productive life,” adding, “Nobody wants to excel more than me.” Zinn also said, “I want to put the past behind me and move forward,” according to a report from the New York Post.
The Post report added:
His defense attorney defended the convict describing him as an “interesting man” who lived a difficult life.
“Who never fit in. Never really got the love or attention he deserved. And never got the help he needed, resources that would that helped him years ago,” Carly Madsen said. “It’s my hope in the future that Mr. Zinn is able to get the help he needs and the resources he needs.”
Zinn was known to attend political events around Utah and was described as “odd” and a “gadfly.”
Robinson, the alleged shooter, was apprehended days later and has been charged with aggravated murder, felony discharge of a firearm causing serious bodily injury, obstruction of justice, two counts of witness tampering, and commission of a violent offense in the presence of a child.
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