Illinois Man Arrested for Alleged Child Kidnapping Plot in Fort Lauderdale
- An Illinois man, Devontay Shields, aged 35, was arrested in Chicago for allegedly planning to abduct a child from a school in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
- Shields was taken into custody at Union Station as he attempted to board an Amtrak train to Miami.
- The complaint states that Shields intended to kidnap a boy from a Fort Lauderdale school and demand a ransom of $100,000.
Illinois Man Arrested for Kidnapping Plot
An Illinois man, Devontay Shields, aged 35, was arrested in Chicago for allegedly planning to abduct a child from a school in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. He faces one count of attempted kidnapping, according to a criminal complaint filed in U.S. District Court in Chicago.
Shields was taken into custody at Union Station as he attempted to board an Amtrak train to Miami. He is currently held in federal custody, with a preliminary hearing scheduled for November 25, 2024, at 10:00 a.m.
The complaint states that Shields intended to kidnap a boy from a Fort Lauderdale school and demand a ransom of $100,000. He shared his plans with people who were cooperating with law enforcement. They recorded a conversation where Shields mentioned his plan to “get me a little boy” from the school.
Prior to his trip, Shields purchased two children’s toys and zip ties from retail stores. He had these items when arrested.
The complaint was announced by Acting U.S. Attorney Morris Pasqual and Sean Fitzgerald, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago office of Homeland Security Investigations. The case involved substantial help from multiple police departments and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
If convicted of attempted kidnapping, Shields faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison. The legal process is ongoing, and he is presumed innocent until proven guilty.