Illinois man charged with plot to kidnap boy in Florida to hold for ransom
CHICAGO (CBS) -- An Illinois man was arrested over the weekend in Chicago, accused of plotting to kidnap a boy from Florida in order to hold him for ransom for $100,000.
Devontay Shields, 35, of Danville, was arrested on Saturday at Union Station, as he tried to board an Amtrak train to Miami, according to federal prosecutors.
He is charged with one count of attempted kidnapping.
According to the charges, the investigation began on Nov. 11, when a Homeland Security source told federal agents that Shields wanted to meet with a cooperating defendant to get money to travel to Florida to kidnap a child for ransom.
Shields allegedly sent the source screenshots of a private school in Fort Lauderdale that he wanted to target, because "all of the parents is rich there." Shields also allegedly sent the source a text message saying they could kidnap a child from the school by luring them with candy and toys.
The next day, the source drove Shields from Danville to the Chicago area, where they met with the cooperating defendant, according to the charges.
Both the source and the cooperating defendant were wearing audio recording equipment, and during their meeting with Shields, he said "imma get me a little boy," and said he needed $1,000 to carry out his plan to travel to Florida to kidnap a boy and hold him for ransom for $100,000.
Over the next few days, Shields and the source went to stores to buy toys, a BB gun, and zip ties, and Amtrak tickets, and discussed the plan to travel together to Florida for the kidnapping.
Shields allegedly told the source he had made reservations for a hotel room and a rental car in Florida, and said he planned to take the kid to the hotel, while planning to use the source to pick up the ransom money.
On Saturday, Shields was arrested while trying to board an Amtrak train to Miami. When he was questioned by investigators, he claimed he was visiting Florida, "because he had never been there before, and he wanted to see how it was," according to the charges.
A search of his bag uncovered a "Lankybox" stuffed children's toy, a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles action figure, and self-cutting zip ties.
Shields admitted buying the items, along with a BB gun later found in the law enforcement source's car, but Shields denied knowing anything about a plan to kidnap a child in Florida, according to the charges.
Shields was being held at the Metropolitan Correctional Center in downtown Chicago ahead of his first court appearance on Nov. 25.