Alleged Kidnapping Suspect Wrote About Aurora Shooter, Helping Orphans - East Idaho News
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Alleged Kidnapping Suspect Wrote About Aurora Shooter, Helping Orphans

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ABC HT john stanley snorsky home inset hero jt 131102 16x9 992?  SQUARESPACE CACHEVERSION=1383503002235ABC News; Inset: Aurora Police Department(AURORA, Colo.) — The Colorado artist who was arrested for the attempted kidnapping of an 8-year-old girl also wrote about helping orphans and joked about “kidnapping” at the Burning Man festival on his Facebook page.

John Stanley Snorsky, 26, of Aurora, Colo., was charged Saturday with first and second-degree burglary and second-degree kidnapping for allegedly breaking to a home in Aurora, Colo., and grabbing an 8-year-old girl from her bedroom. The girl was able to call for help and escape her attacker after he pulled into an alley, police said.

Snorsky had been in jail since Tuesday morning for an investigative parole hold on an unrelated case, according to police. He is scheduled to be in court on Monday and is being held on $600,000 bail.

On his Facebook page, Snorsky described himself as having a troubled childhood where he was forced to eat “from the dumpsters.” The Facebook page has since been taken down.

Snorsky described himself as growing up in orphanages after his mother abandoned him and his father was sent to prison for murder, though none of this was corroborated. He also wrote that due to his experience of being abandoned he wanted to help orphans.

“These kids have had horrible lives and with the holidays approaching fast they feel lonier[sic] than ever … so for my birthday and Christmas wish I want all my friends to come together and send 15 KIDS [sic] and 3[sic] staff members from the orphanage to the nutcracker,” Snorsky wrote in February.

His profile also stated that he spent time in prison after he “made the regrettable mistake of burglarizing a gun shop.” Snorsky described his seven years of being incarcerated as helping him improve his drawing skills.

Over the last year Snorsky also touched on the major events in Colorado, including the mass shooting at an Aurora movie theater in July 2012. Snorsky wrote what “disgusts” him about shooting is that a man “can become known #worldwide by #killing all these #innocent #people here.”

In the last few months, Snorsky wanted to celebrate his freedom after being released from prison and even joked about kidnapping.

“I’m going to burning man next year to celebrate the first time in my life that I’m completely free,” wrote Snorsky. “I’ll kidnap a couple of u[sic] too hahaha.”

Snorsky was arrested after the girl who was nearly kidnapped was able to help police create a sketch of the suspect. Police released a composite sketch of the man they were looking for on Monday night and received over 200 calls.

“She is a brave young lady and kept her wits about her,” Aurora Police Division Chief Rob McGregor said at a news conference Saturday. “It is a message to all parents to reiterate to their kids to make noise if something is going on.”

The girl, who police did not name, had very minor injuries and was transported to the hospital after she escaped.

A reward of $20,000 was set for information leading to the arrest of the kidnapper. Aurora Police Chief Dan Oates said that he believed the reward played a major role in how many tips they received.

Snorsky was taken into custody on suspicion of committing felony theft, police said at a news conference on Saturday.

McGregor said Snorsky, a self-proclaimed artist, works in Aurora at a sub shop. A Facebook page under his name and date of birth showed drawings that he has made and a posed self-portrait, he said his work is available in private collections across America. His artwork was used in the sandwich shop where he worked.

Snorsky came to the United States from Russia, police sources told ABC News. He has served time in a Colorado prison for burglary and escape.

While out on parole, Snorsky made friends where he worked at the Aurora sub shop, including with police who often went there to eat.

The restaurant owner, a 72-year-old-woman, felt sorry for Snorsky and took him in, according to police sources.

It was not clear whether or not Snorsky had been assigned an attorney.

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