Chicago City Wire

An Illinois resident has been apprehended in Chicago, accused of plotting to abduct a child from a school in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Devontay Shields, 35, from Danville, Illinois, faces one count of attempted kidnapping according to a criminal complaint filed in U.S. District Court in Chicago. Authorities arrested Shields on Saturday at Union Station in Chicago as he was attempting to board an Amtrak train bound for Miami. He remains detained under federal custody with a preliminary hearing scheduled for November 25, 2024, before U.S. Magistrate Judge M. David Weisman.

The federal complaint alleges that Shields planned to kidnap a boy from a school in Fort Lauderdale and demand a $100,000 ransom. His plans were communicated to individuals who were unknowingly cooperating with law enforcement officials. These individuals recorded conversations with Shields under the direction of law enforcement during which he allegedly stated his intention to “get me a little boy” from the Florida school. Before his departure for Florida, Shields reportedly purchased children's toys and zip ties from retail stores and had these items when arrested at Union Station.

The announcement of the complaint came from Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, alongside Sean Fitzgerald, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). Assistance was provided by various agencies including HSI Fort Lauderdale office and multiple police departments such as those in Chicago and Carpentersville.

Shields faces up to 20 years in federal prison if convicted on the attempted kidnapping charge. It is emphasized that charges are not evidence of guilt; Shields is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond reasonable doubt during trial proceedings.