I Love You, Would-be OC Baby Kidnapper Sentenced

A 44-year-old man who picked up a 6-year-old boy outside an OC market has been sentenced to four years in prison.

May 29, 2024, 10:22 a.m. PDT

SANTA ANA, CA — A 44-year-old man pleaded guilty to trying to kidnap a 6-year-old boy in Placentia and was sentenced to four years in prison, but he already has credit for serving more than that delay period. bars, according to court records obtained Tuesday.

Michael Christopher Foley, who had no known address, pleaded guilty Friday to one count of attempted kidnapping of a child under 14 years old. As part of the plea agreement, one count of misdemeanor annoyance to a child and one count of kidnapping were dismissed.

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Foley picked up the youth outside Peewee's Market, 703 W. La Jolla St., around 7:50 p.m. on July 5, 2021, police said.

The boy was outside the store with family friends when Foley, who was passing by, stopped and got out of his vehicle, leaving the driver's door open, and ran toward the victim, the police said. He picked up the child and was taking him back to his vehicle when passers-by stopped him.

Foley kissed the child on the cheek and told him, “I love you, baby,” before dropping him off, getting back into his vehicle and driving off, police said.

Police were able to identify Foley through surveillance video. He had no connection with the child or the victim's mother.

Foley had sentence credit of 2,100 days served since his arrest.

City press service