Devlin Sentenced to a total of 70 Life Sentences! Federal Sentencing is next...

St. Louis County, MO: Michael J. Devlin appeared for his third sentencing appearance in the past two days.

(Watch Video: Charges against Devlin ~ CAUTION: Graphic Details! )

The afternoon court appearance was for all the charges filed in the county where Devlin lived, worked and sexually attacked Shawn Hornbeck and Ben Ownby in the apartment where Devlin resided.
Devlin pled guilty to 2 counts of kidnapping and 69 counts of forcible sodomy in attacks on William "Ben" Ownby and Shawn Hornbeck.

Prosecutors said the combined pleas mean Devlin will not be eligible for parole until he is more than 100 years old. He was sentenced to three life terms plus 60 years in prison Tuesday, in addition to a life sentence he received Monday. (I hope he lives a looong time...)

Devlin admitted in graphic detail how he abducted Shawn in 2002. He described the point at which the boy apparently turned from being an abduction victim to a captive when he was forced to stay alive by following Devlin's horrific sexual and other orders.

After Shawn was abducted at gunpoint while riding his lime green bike in rural Washington County, Devlin took the then 11-year old to his apartment in suburban St. Louis where he repeatedly sodomized the boy. A few days later, Michael Devlin took Shawn back to Washington County with the intent to kill Shawn. Devlin said he pulled Shawn from his truck and began to strangle him when Shawn resisted.

"I attempted to kill (Shawn) and he talked me out of it." Devlin said. Devlin stopped the choking and sexually assaulted Shawn again.

County Prosecutors said it was at that point that Shawn told Devlin he would do whatever was asked of him in order to stay alive.

St. Louis County Assistant county prosecutor Rob Livergood outlined a bare-bones description of the charges against Devlin, staying primarily with a rendition of the indictment itself.

Livergood said that Devlin took Shawn to his apartment, tied him to a futon and went to work at his job at the Imo's pizza restaurant in downtown Kirkwood, MO. He said Devlin sexually assaulted and sodomized Shawn the entire time he was held captive. Devlin revealed graphic details in court about sexually abusing Shawn by anal penetration, oral penetration and digital penetration.

Devlin frequently photographed and videotaped the rapes and sexual assault- which Prosecutors said show a screaming victim, Shawn. Devlin said he began abusing Ben immediately after abducting him on Jan. 8, 2007. As he did with Shawn, Devlin tied up and sexually abused the boy several times before authorities found Ben and Shawn in Devlin’s apartment and rescued them on Jan. 12, 2007.

During the hearing this afternoon, Devlin never looked at the two boys’ parents; Don and Doris Ownby and Craig and Pam Akers, who sat together in the front row of the courtroom. Judge Seigel sentenced Devlin after the Akers each read a victim impact statement.

On Wednesday, Devlin will appear in the U.S. District courthouse in downtown St. Louis to answer to six federal charges; including, four counts of producing child porn and two counts of taking a child across state lines for sex.

* Watch Videos *
- Court: Charges against Devlin ~ CAUTION!
- Court: Devlin Enters Guilty Plea
- Akers' Victim Impact Statement
- Punishment Recommendations
- Watch Michael Devlin get Sentenced & Addt'l Court Footage

Court: Devlin Reveals Details about Abducting Shawn Hornbeck

Washington County, MO: Michael J. Devlin pled guilty this morning for the second time for the kidnapping and sexual torture of Shawn Hornbeck. Devlin was sentenced to three life terms plus a total of 60 years in prison.

During the plea hearing, more details of Shawn's abduction emerged, including a month-long period in which Shawn was bound and gagged on a futon in Devlin's apartment. Devlin, 41, admitted to trying to kill Shawn, but the child talked him out of it.

In court, D.A. Rupp said, "He brought Shawn back to Washington County, took him to a remote logging road and tried to strangle him. Shawn then pleaded for his life, and Devlin told him he wouldn't kill him but Shawn would just have to be happy being alive and living with Devlin."

Devlin said: “I took him from my apartment and drove to a gravel road to Washington County and took him out of the truck. I put my hands on his throat and attempted... he stopped me and talked me out of it.”

Michael Devlin admitted in court that he kidnapped Shawn on Oct. 6, 2002 and used a pistol in that crime. He also admitted he sodomized Shawn & Ben. Asked about the kidnapping charges, Devlin said, “I followed him to a gravel road and forced him into my truck and drove him back to my apartment in St. Louis.” Devlin also gave brief recitations of the sexual offenses.

Washington County prosecutor John Rupp says Shawn Hornbeck was forced to make a “deal with the devil” to save his life. After his abduction, Hornbeck begged for his life and eventually made a contract with Devlin to live. But... part of the deal was that Hornbeck could never run away and he would have to live as 'Shawn Devlin" for the rest of his life.

- 10/9/07: VIDEO: D.A. Rupp's Press Conference
- Search Devlin Court Docs & Proceedings - (Enter Michael Devlin)

Devlin Pleads Guilty to Kidnapping Ben Ownby

In court today, Michael Devlin pled guilty to kidnapping Ben Ownby in January 2007. Some details of what happened the day Ben was taken and what led up to the kidnapping were stated in court.

Devlin, 41, (R) arrived at the Franklin County Courthouse under tight security, wearing a bullet proof vest.

"He picked Ben because Ben got off the school bus alone," said Franklin County Prosecuting Attorney Bob Parks. In court, Parks said Devlin told authorities that he had been looking for a boy to kidnap for more than three months before Ben. Parks said Devlin was looking in rural areas along highways 30, 50 and 141. And that he had watched Ben for a couple of days before kidnapping him at gunpoint.

"This is a predator. This is, this is, this guy is evil! This is evil incarnate! You'll never see anybody worse than this because this is a guy that preys on our kids," Parks said., "Devlin told investigators he had been looking at rural schools following bus routes because those schools let out later and that meshed better with his work schedule at Imo's Pizza. Prosecutor Parks said, "as Devlin was pushing 13 year old Ben into his truck, Ben kept asking "why" and Devlin said "just because."

Devlin got a life sentence for pleading guilty to kidnapping. He also pled guilty to armed criminal action and got 20 years. Tomorrow, Devlin will be transported to Potosi - where he is charged with seven counts in the Shawn Hornbeck case- including attempted murder and sodomy. After that, he will go to St. Louis County where he faces 71 counts involving sexual abuse of Shawn Hornbeck and Ben Ownby. Devlin is expected to plead guilty in both of those courts.

Photos: Michael Devlin Through the Years

Michael Devlin in 1997:

Michael Devlin in 1998:

Michael Devlin in Nov. 2000:

REPORT A TIP

Possible Connection to Arlin Henderson?

Charles Arlin Henderson has been missing since July 25, 1991 from Moscow Mills, Missouri. Charles Henderson, age 11, was riding his white and yellow bicycle near his family’s Moscow Mills mobile home when he went missing.

Moscow Mills is about fifty miles north of St. Louis., where Devlin resided.

Possible Connection to Missing Steven Kraft?

The Devlin Task Force is looking into the 2001 kidnapping of Steven Kraft from Benton Harbor, Michigan. It is known that Michael Devlin travelled in this area around this time Kraft went missing. Specifically, they are looking into the areas around Benton Harbor and Pentwater, Michigan.

• Steven Kraft lived in and disappeared from Benton Harbor.
• The Devlin's had a property at Pentwater. They normally vacationed in Summer but Steven disappeared in February, however, Michael Devlin may have visited the property alone.
• He was known to take weekends away in February.

DESCRIPTION:
Date of Birth: January 11, 1989
Place of Birth: Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Sex: Male
Hair: Sandy Brown
Height: 5'2" (at the time of his disappearance)
Eyes: Green

HAVE A TIP?

Task Force Hotline :

636-239-7496 OR 636-239-7614

Online Tip Form

Both these lines will be staffed 24 hours a day

What everyone MUST remember is that NO information is TOO SMALL.

The Task Force investigating possible connections between Devlin & other missing boys is looking for the following information to help in their investigation:

• ANY vehicle loaned to Devlin for any length of time (day or more) before 2001. It is known that Devlin drove many different vehicles that were NOT his own. Anybody who knows about his travels is asked to come forward. It is known he travelled widely in the following areas: St. Charles County, MO, Lincoln County, Washington County and Phelps County (near Rolla).
• Anybody owning or working in a motel, campground, cabin, etc. who may remember Devlin over the past 18 years.
• Looking for the whereabouts on any details on a 1983 silver & gray Toyota pickup truck with a White Stripe and a Camper Shell that Devlin owned before his current vehicle.

Devlin's Possible Connections to Other Missing Boys

Some of the other children the task force is investigating in connection with Devlin include:

• Scott Allen Kleeschulte, who disappeared in 1988 while walking near his home in St. Charles, Missouri. He was nine years old at the time of his disappearance.
• Charles "Arlin" Henderson, who disappeared in 1991 at the age of 11 near his home in rural Lincoln County, Missouri.
• Steven Kraft, who disappeared in 2001 near Benton Harbor, Michigan, where Devlin often vacationed. Steven was 12 when he disappeared.
• Dalton Mesarchik, 7, who disappeared in 2003 in Streator, Illinois. His body was the next day near the Vermilion River.