Family: Devlin to plead guilty in kidnap case

ST. LOUIS -- Michael Devlin, the former pizzeria manager accused of kidnapping two Missouri boys, will plead guilty next week to kidnapping and sexual abuse charges, bringing a sudden end to a massive criminal case that has drawn international attention, a prosecutor and a relative of one of the boys said Friday.

Devlin was arrested in January after police found Shawn Hornbeck and Ben Ownby at Devlin's apartment in the St. Louis County town of Kirkwood. He faces more than 80 felony charges in three Missouri counties and federal court, and would face several life sentences if convicted.

Loyd Bailie, Ben's uncle, said the family had been briefed by prosecutors that Devlin will plead guilty next week in all four jurisdictions where he is charged. Attorneys on both sides of the case would not comment, but St. Louis County's prosecutor made a surprise announcement Friday of a series of hearings to end the cases in all four jurisdictions. The hearings will be Monday, Tuesday and possibly Wednesday.

"This is a great day," Bailie said. "Just knowing that Ben is not going to have to relive all this through the court system -- this is cloud nine."

Shawn's parents Pam and Craig Akers, were "cautiously elated" at hearing the news Friday, according to a statement they released through family friend Sherri Martin.

"When this occurs, we will finally end this nightmarish chapter in our lives and begin a new, fresh chapter that we have waited to begin for five long years," the statement said.

Sentenced Tuesday

Washington County prosecutor John Rupp confirmed that Devlin will plead guilty and be sentenced Tuesday on six charges, including kidnapping, attempted murder and forcible sodomy. He said he could not comment on the other jurisdictions.

Ethan Corlija, Devlin's attorney, declined to comment on next week's hearings but said, "I can tell you, disposition usually means, among lawyers, that things will be concluded in some manner."

Devlin has been jailed in Franklin County since his arrest Jan 12. In August, he was briefly transferred to the St. Louis County jail to be arraigned on 71 charges there for abusing and detaining both boys in his apartment.

St. Louis County prosecutor Bob McCulloch said Devlin's disposition hearings will be Monday in Franklin County, then Tuesday morning in Washington County. He'll face disposition hearings in St. Louis County Tuesday or Wednesday, followed by a hearing in U.S. District Court in St. Louis.

After that, McCulloch said Devlin will be "returned to the custody of the state of Missouri for transportation to the appropriate facility."

It is The Associated Press' policy not to identify most victims of sexual abuse, but the boys' stories have been widely publicized, and their names are now well-known.