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Mo. Suspect Charged With
Forcible Sodomy
February 5, 2007
By Christopher Leonard
CLAYTON, Mo. - A Missouri man
accused of kidnapping two boys and holding one for more than four
years was charged Monday with molesting them nearly 70 times.
The charges were the first time
authorities have openly accused Michael Devlin of molesting the
children.
Devlin, a 41-year-old pizzeria
manager, had previously been charged with two counts of kidnapping,
was charged with 69 counts of forcible sodomy, all felonies and each
punishable by up to life in prison.
St. Louis County prosecutor Robert
McCullough said 18 of the counts related to 13-year-old Ben Ownby,
who disappeared Jan. 8, and the remaining counts were related to
Shawn Hornbeck, now 15, who was abducted in 2002.
Both boys were found inside
Devlin's apartment in the St. Louis suburb of Kirkwood on Jan. 12.
The charges allege that Devlin
forced Ben to have "deviate sexual intercourse" four times each day
for the four days he was held.
The charges also allege that after
kidnapping Hornbeck in October 2002, Devlin kept Shawn isolated in
Devlin's apartment for the first month. The boy was forced to have
intercourse with Devlin throughout that month and at least once a
month until Shawn and Ben were found in January.
Less than a week after the boys
were found, Shawn's parents appeared on Oprah Winfrey's talk show,
saying they believed he had been sexually abused during the ordeal.
In a written statement, defense
attorneys Ethan Corlija and Michael Kielty said they have explained
the charges to Devlin and that he understands they are "very
serious."
"We have also told Mr. Devlin that
we have received no evidence from any of the prosecutors about any
of the charges," the statement said.
"Common sense and the Constitution
would suggest that everyone should wait to hear any evidence before
reaching any final judgment.
McCullough said the evidence
includes interviews with all of the people involved. "Devlin
acknowledged committing these acts," McCullough said.
Devlin has pleaded not guilty to
the kidnapping charges.
Authorities have said Devlin used a
gun to threaten Shawn when he was abducted in 2002.
Scott Sherman, a lawyer
representing Shawn and his family, said Shawn is willing to testify
if the case goes to trial.
"I think he's committed to justice,
as painful as it might be," Sherman said.
Shawn was 11 when he vanished while
riding his bike near his home in Richwoods. Ben disappeared after he
got off the school bus in Beaufort. A white pickup seen speeding
away led police to Devlin, authorities said.
While it is The Associated Press'
policy not to identify alleged victims of sexual abuse in most
cases, the story of Shawn and Ben has been widely publicized and
their names are now well-known. Also, their families have gone
public, conducting several media interviews.
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Associated Press writers Cheryl
Wittenauer and Betsy Taylor in St. Louis contributed to this report.
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