Brooklyn Predator Gets Life for Kidnapping Child in PA

PHILADELPHIA – The Brooklyn predator Duane Taylor, 50, was today sentenced to life in prison by United States District Judge John M. Gallagher for the chilling abduction of a minor from her Reading, Pennsylvania home. Taylor’s crime spree also included the transportation of the child across state lines and the production of child pornography.

In June of this year, Taylor pleaded guilty to charges including kidnapping, travel with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct, production of child pornography, possession of child pornography, and transportation of child pornography. The court ordered him to pay $3,000 in restitution and $3,500 in fees and assessments.

The harrowing night began on August 31, 2022, when the child’s mother discovered her missing from her bedroom, where she had been asleep. Video surveillance footage revealed a sinister figure entering the home at 2 a.m., followed by the victim and later identified as Taylor. The defendant was traced to Brooklyn, but the child was not found there until a compassionate citizen reported the girl alone and asking for help in New York City.

This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, an initiative since 2006 fighting the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. It demonstrates the collaborative effort between federal, state, and local law enforcement to protect children from predators like Taylor. For more information, visit projectsafechildhood.gov.

Investigations were conducted by the FBI, Reading Police Department, and New York City Police Department, with prosecution led by Assistant United States Attorneys Rosalynda M. Michetti and Josh A. Davison.

Unfortunately, this press release was delayed due to the federal government shutdown from October 1, 2025, to November 12, 2025.

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