Man with Autism from Virginia Beach Receives Deferred Judgement for Planting Tracker in Wegman’s Checkout

A Virginia Beach man, Connor Land, aged 20 and employed as a Wegman’s checkout worker, escaped prosecution for three months after trying to gift a 7-year-old girl with an Apple AirTag concealed in a stack of stickers. Land was arrested on July 15, 2023, when the girl’s mother discovered the tracker and alerted the police. In a second trial after a successful appeal, Land pleaded guilty, but sentencing was deferred until June 24, allowing time for enrolment in counseling and therapy.

The ruling to defer was informed by SB133, a state law passed in 2023 permitting a court to postpone a criminal case if the defendant has been diagnosed with an intellectual disability or autism, and if it can be proven that the criminal behavior directly resulted from the person’s disorder. Land’s lawyer, Kristin Paulding, advocated for this decision, arguing that it provides more options for resolving cases involving neuro-atypical individuals. The prosecution vehemently opposed the deferred judgement.

Land initially denied any knowledge of the tracking device hidden amidst the stickers. He later confessed, under pressure from the police, that he found the girl’s mother attractive and wanted to track her home address to mail her a letter. Land further confessed to having sent the same letter to another woman, also laced with cash. The letter suggested an odd arrangement, wherein he offered to pay $1000 a month to do the woman’s household chores and worship her without any sexual intention. He denied any desire to harm the young girl.

The woman who initially laid a restraining order against Land narrated an ordeal in court, where Land donated to her club’s fundraiser, later broke into her dorm, and terrorized them by claiming a false friendship with her. The victim in the Wegman’s incident also emotionally testified how the ordeal left her emotionally shattered and heightened her fear regarding her security. Both victims yearned to move away from the area.

Karen Land, the defendant’s mother, presented her son as someone battling Autism Spectrum Disorder and attributed his strange behavior to the condition. Land confessed his social cluelessness and saw his actions as an invasion of privacy. He acknowledged the pain he might have inflicted upon his victims and expressed gratitude to his arresting officer, whose bodycam footage served as critical evidence. Dr. Rex Miller, who evaluated Land, confirmed his Autism Spectrum Disorder, noted impulse control and two sex-related disorders.