A California lady and Instagram influencer who reported and posted on-line about an tried kidnapping of her younger youngsters in 2020 has been convicted of constructing a false report of a criminal offense, prosecutors stated.
A jury convicted the lady, Katie Sorensen, 31, previously of Sonoma, Calif., of 1 depend of constructing a false report of a criminal offense, a misdemeanor. She was taken into custody, the Sonoma County District Attorney’s Office stated in a press release on Thursday.
Sonoma County District Attorney Carla Rodriguez stated that the decision would “enable us to hold Ms. Sorensen accountable for her crime, while at the same time helping to exonerate the couple that was falsely accused of having attempted to kidnap two young children.”
On Dec. 7, 2020, Ms. Sorensen went to a Michaels craft retailer in Petaluma, Calif., together with her two younger youngsters, prosecutors stated. Petaluma is about 40 miles north of San Francisco.
After shopping for some gadgets, prosecutors stated that she returned to her automotive, loaded her youngsters into the automotive and left the Michaels car parking zone.
“A few minutes later Ms. Sorensen called the Petaluma Police Department and reported that a couple had tried to kidnap her children,” prosecutors stated.
About per week later, Ms. Sorensen made and printed a video on Instagram by which she sat in her automobile and described “the near abduction of her young children, adding significant details that had not been disclosed to the Petaluma Police Department,” prosecutors stated.
In the video, which has since been deleted, she stated she wished to share her story to boost consciousness “and to just encourage parents to be more aware of their surroundings.”
She described happening a fast errand together with her 4-year-old son and 1-year-old daughter, and being adopted by a pair within the retailer, who made feedback in regards to the youngsters and tried to kidnap them.
The video garnered over 4 million views, in keeping with court docket information. Ms. Sorensen additionally went on a neighborhood news program to repeat her account, drawing wider consideration.
When officers from the Petaluma Police Department adopted up with Ms. Sorensen, she recognized a pair from a surveillance video on the Michaels retailer as the abductors.
“Ms. Sorensen’s report was determined to be false and was resoundingly contradicted by the accused couple as well as store video that was obtained,” prosecutors stated.
The couple, who additionally stay in Petaluma and stated they had been procuring on the retailer, “fully cooperated with the investigation’’ and “denied the allegations being made against them,” the Petaluma Police Department stated on the time.
In 2021, Ms. Sorensen was charged with three misdemeanor counts of constructing a false report of a criminal offense. The jury acquitted her of the primary two counts, associated to statements she made to a police dispatcher and a police officer on Dec. 7, however convicted her for statements made within the third interview, per week later with a detective.
In a press release on Friday about Ms. Sorensen’s conviction, her lawyer Charles D. Dresow stated he was disenchanted with the conviction and “will evaluate our options moving forward.”
In court docket this week, the prosecution described Ms. Sorensen as a would-be social media influencer who sought to spice up her Instagram following and lift cash, in keeping with The Press Democrat, which coated the trial.
The couple that Ms. Sorensen had accused of the kidnapping — Sadie Vega-Martinez and her husband, Eddie Martinez — didn’t instantly reply to a request for a touch upon Friday. Ms. Vega-Martinez instructed Elle journal that she was happy with the decision and that she believed “justice was served.”
She added: “I feel like it’s a step in the right direction for my family. I’m grateful for the support.”
Ms. Rodriguez, the district attorney, said Ms. Sorensen’s case “is also important in that it illustrates the importance of using social media responsibly.”
Ms. Sorensen’s bail was set at $100,000. A date for her sentencing has not been set.
She faces a maximum sentence of six months in jail.
Source: www.nytimes.com