Sunday, October 27, 2002
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Sunday, October 27, 2002 |
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Man gets 40 years in prison for attempt to kidnap two PTC boys By JOHN
MUNFORD
A Peachtree City man was sentenced to 40 years in prison for trying to lure two young boys into his home almost two years ago by giving them a ride on his golf cart. Andrew Joseph Magnusson, 22, was also sentenced to an additional 25 years probation following the end of the sentence. He pled guilty earlier this year to two counts of enticing a child for indecent purposes, one count of criminal attempt to commit kidnapping and one count of possession of electronic child pornography. When Magnuson was arrested by Peachtree City Police in Oct. 2000, he was found near Oak Grove Elementary School with duct tape, a rope, bungee cords, a knife and other items in his possession that could have been used to kidnap someone, according to court records. He admitted to police that he intended to abduct a child just before he was arrested, police said. The day before, he had given a golf cart ride to two 10-year-old boys and tried to lure them into his home, police said. He drove them around Lake Peachtree and eventually dropped them off near one of the boys' homes, police said. A mental health professional who helped counsel Magnuson before and after the incident said he behaved at the level of a nine- or 10-year-old child and would not fare well in prison because he doesn't know how to get along with others. Magnuson also had an IQ that was near the threshold to indicate he was mentally retarded, the caseworker testified. Magnuson's parents and brother also testified during the hearing, pledging to make sure he gets mental health treatment if he would be allowed to return home. Magnuson's attorney, Tarey Schell, pointed out that no physical contact took place during the incident. But Superior Court Judge Christopher C. Edwards said the evidence showed Magnuson could not be controlled by his parents. He cited an e-mail written by Magnuson where he depicts abducting a 10-year-old boy, binding him and raping him. "It's resemblance to this case ... is absolutely too vivid to ignore," Edwards said. Magnuson's caseworker said the ideal situation would be for him to be treated at a residential facility that specializes care for sex offenders, but no such facility exists in Georgia.
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