Missouri Pedophile Sentenced

By Karyn Chenoweth Oct 8, 2007, 16:15 GMT

A former Missouri pizza parlor manager was sentenced to life in prison Monday for the kidnapping of one of two boys he is accused of holding captive in his apartment.

Michael Devlin, 41, pleaded guilty to one charge of child kidnapping and one charge of armed-criminal action in the January abduction of 13-year-old young boy (we refuse to print his name).

Rescuers were shocked to find the 13 year-old boy and Shawn, now age 16, who had disappeared while riding a bike in Richwoods in 2002.

It was the first in a series of hearings this week in four jurisdictions where Devlin faces more than 80 counts in the kidnappings and sexual abuse of he 13 year-old and Shawn Hornbeck.

He is expected to plead guilty to all of the charges against him, a prosecutor and a relative of the boys has said.

Devlin declined to speak about his plea in court.

Any parent's nightmare was realized as the details of the abduction were revealed. The 13 year-old disappeared only minutes after stepping off his school bus in rural Franklin County.

Four days later, a tip led to Devlin's cramped apartment in Kirkwood, Missouri, where both boys were found.

Unimaginably, authorities said Hornbeck was held for more than four years after he was kidnapped in 2002.

Devlin was said to be "at peace" about pleading to the charges. One of his attorneys, Michael Kielty, said Devlin wants to spare his family and his longtime captive, Hornbeck, the anguish of a trial.

"He instructed me to give this message," the lawyer, Michael Kielty, told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. "I think he's at peace. He's looking forward to a disposition.

Kielty said Devlin wanted the public to know that his family had no role in the crimes and no knowledge of them. And, the attorney added, Devlin wants to make it clear that the 13 year-old was held against his will.

"What Mike's getting out of this is, he's not exposing his family to any more scrutiny," Kielty said.

"These are good people. They don't want to be subjugated to this media circus. And, he will not drag Shawn into court. He doesn't want to put Shawn through anything else."

In addition to Franklin County Circuit Court, Devlin faces charges Tuesday in both Washington County and St. Louis County Circuit Court. He also was to appear in federal court in St. Louis by Wednesday.