George Zinn, a 71-year-old man, has been sentenced to prison after falsely claiming he shot Charlie Kirk shortly after the Turning Point USA founder was killed. His actions diverted police from locating the actual shooter, and he was also convicted of child sex crimes and obstruction of justice.
In court, Zinn was emotional, pleading guilty to two second-degree felony charges related to the sexual exploitation of a minor and no contest to a third-degree charge for obstruction.
Judge Thomas Rowe of the Fourth District Court sentenced him to two concurrent terms of up to 15 years for the exploitation charges, alongside a five-year term for obstruction.
The duration of his imprisonment will ultimately be determined by the parole board, as dictated by Utah law.
Authorities found child sexual abuse materials on Zinn’s cell phone after he was arrested at Utah Valley University on September 10 last year.
Zinn was apprehended at the college shortly after Kirk’s assassination. He had claimed responsibility for killing the conservative figure and father of two.
Footage of Zinn being escorted away by police created chaos and confusion at the murder scene, going viral as many initially believed he was the shooter.
After his arrest, detectives inquired about the location of the gun, and Zinn reportedly said, “I won’t tell you where it is. I shot him, so now you can shoot me,” according to plea agreement documents.
Moreover, Zinn admitted to “securing the scene and distracting multiple law enforcement officers from attempting to locate the actual shooter,” as detailed in court documents.
Currently serving a sentence for his false claims, Zinn’s child exploitation charges were added after authorities discovered pornography on his phone following his September 10 arrest.
The indictment revealed that Zinn had saved illegal images of minors on his phone, shared these in chats claiming they were of his daughter, and received similar images from others.
During a court statement before sentencing, Zinn didn’t mention Kirk but asserted, “I am not and will never be a danger to children or their parents.”
The elderly man expressed a desire to change, saying he has “every desire and determination to change and lead a responsible and productive life,” and added, “No one wants to be better than me.”
“I want to forget the past and move on,” Zinn cried while requesting representation from a lawyer.
Defense attorney Carly Madsen described Zinn as an “interesting person” with a troubled history, stating he never quite fit into society nor received the affection and support he deserved.
Madsen remarked, “I hope Mr. Zinn can access the help and resources he needs moving forward.”
Before the shooting incident, Zinn was known for being outspoken at political events and protests.
In the context of the most significant assassination in the United States since 1968, authorities have identified Tyler Robinson, a 22-year-old, as the suspect in Kirk’s killing.
Robinson has reportedly made jokes about conservatives and has openly adopted left-wing views after his relationship with a transgender roommate, according to his acquaintances.
