31 Jul 2021

NZer who allegedly tried to kidnap girl in US enters plea deal

9:39 am on 31 July 2021

A New Zealand man who was shot while allegedly trying to kidnap a 14-year-old girl in the US state of Virginia, has reached a plea agreement with prosecutors.

Troy Skinner

Troy George Skinner Photo: Supplied / Henrico Jail

Aucklander Troy George Skinner, 28, pleaded guilty to one charge of producing child pornography.

Skinner was arrested in June 2018 after he showed up at the home of the girl, whom he had met on-line, and allegedly tried to break in.

Authorities say the girl's mother shot him, and Skinner has since recovered from a bullet wound to his neck.

The special agent in charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Richmond field office Stanley M. Meador said that the FBI would investigate any matter where people prey on children.

"Mr. Skinner's solicitation of this minor victim is unfortunately not uncommon for sexual predators; what is rather unusual is for a predator to travel this extensively to gain access to their victim. Had it not been for the intervention of an adult, this incident could have been much worse," he said in a statement.

Sentencing for Skinner is set for next February.

Get the RNZ app

for ad-free news and current affairs