Prosecutor: Plea deal possible for Michael Devlin

UNION, Mo. -- Prosecutors from three Missouri counties and the federal government are considering an offer of a plea deal that would put kidnapping suspect Michael Devlin in prison for the rest of his life, Franklin County prosecutor Robert Parks said Tuesday.

Parks spoke after Devlin pleaded not guilty during arraignment to charges of kidnapping and armed criminal action for the Jan. 8 abduction of 13-year-old Ben Ownby. It was Devlin's second not guilty plea on the same charges. He was originally arraigned shortly after his arrest, but the second arraignment was necessary after a grand jury indicted Devlin last week.

Devlin is also accused in Washington County in the 2002 abduction of 11-year-old Shawn Hornbeck. Both boys were found Jan. 12 at Devlin's apartment in the St. Louis suburb of Kirkwood.

In addition, Devlin is charged with forcible sodomy in St. Louis County, and was indicted last week by a federal grand jury for producing child pornography. Federal prosecutor Catherine Hanaway said sexually explicit pictures and videos of a boy were found. The federal charges also accused Devlin of taking a minor across state lines and sexually assaulting him.

Parks said he may join with prosecutors from Washington and St. Louis counties, and from the federal government, in offering a plea deal to Devlin, 41.

The deal would be "a package with several, several consecutive life sentences," Parks said. He wasn't certain when the deal would be offered.

'Take it or leave it'

"It will be an offer that Devlin can take it or leave it," Parks said.

Devlin's attorney, Michael Kielty, would not comment on any possible plea deal until he sees prosecutors' evidence in the case. "We will prepare as if we will go to trial," he said.

Devlin entered the not guilty plea via video. He remains at the Franklin County jail on $1 million bond. He has also pleaded not guilty in the Hornbeck case.

Franklin County Judge Gael Wood agreed to a motion from Devlin's attorneys barring the public from seeing the video feed of Devlin during the arraignment. Devlin said over the feed he understood the charges and confirmed he was pleading not guilty.

Kielty said he regretted an earlier hearing where Devlin was shown in a jail-issued outfit.

"It was just highly prejudicial for any accused to be seen in an orange jumpsuit," Kielty said.

Kielty expects to file a motion to have the trial moved from Franklin County.

Wood set a hearing for May 15 to determine if the case is ready to go to trial.

While it is The Associated Press' policy not to identify alleged victims of sexual abuse in most cases, the boys' stories have been widely publicized and their names are now well-known. Also, their families have gone public, conducting media interviews.