An individual who falsely claimed responsibility for the shooting of Charlie Kirk has been sentenced to multiple prison terms, including charges related to the sexual exploitation of a minor.
Charlie Kirk was tragically murdered in Utah on September 10 of last year, following a Q&A session as part of his renowned debate series.
The incident took place at Utah Valley University in front of a large audience, with former President Donald Trump confirming Kirk’s death on Truth Social later that day.
Amidst the ensuing chaos, videos emerged showing an elderly man loudly proclaiming his responsibility for the political influencer’s death.
However, it was soon clarified that Tyler Robinson was the actual perpetrator, having shot Kirk from a vantage point on a rooftop.
The man who falsely confessed was detained, but details about his situation have been sparse until recently.
Recent reports indicate that the man, George Zinn, aged 71, has appeared in court and been sentenced to three prison terms related to his false claim and other offenses.
Zinn was sentenced for possessing explicit images of children, having pleaded guilty to two counts of sexual exploitation of a minor on January 29.
The incriminating images were found on his mobile phone during his detention at Utah Valley University on the day he falsely claimed to have shot Kirk, according to the Salt Lake Tribune.
In another charge, he pleaded no contest to obstruction of justice, acknowledging the presence of sufficient evidence for conviction.
The images on Zinn’s phone allegedly depicted children as young as five years old, partially unclothed and posed in a sexual manner, leading to additional charges of exploitation, a second-degree felony.
The exploitation charges carry a sentence of one to 15 years in prison, while the obstruction charge could add an additional one to five years.
Zinn was convicted on all charges, with sentences to run concurrently, as reported by the Tribune.
During court proceedings, Zinn claimed he posed no threat to children, stating: “I wish the court to know I am not and will never be a danger to children or their parents.”
He expressed a desire to reform and lead a constructive life.
Zinn had previously confessed to falsely claiming responsibility for the shooting to divert attention from the actual shooter, as documented in a police booking affidavit, according to KSL.
When officers investigated, Zinn allegedly admitted that his phone contained child pornography.
Although initially charged with four counts of sexual exploitation of a minor, a plea deal led to his guilty plea on two counts, resulting in two prison terms of one to 15 years each.
The plea agreement also included the dismissal of a theft charge from January 2025.