He was around children under the age of 12. He filmed his sexual abuse of them, cops say.
A Central Florida man is accused of filming his sexual abuse of children under the age of 12.
Steven Lacy DeVane was arrested Wednesday on three counts of using a child to engage in sex acts and 70 counts possession of child pornography. The possession charges are enhanced due to the heinousness of at least one of the images, according to a news release from the Polk County Sheriff’s Office.
Computer crimes detectives began investigating DeVane in May 2020 after receiving a tip from Fort Myers police. They soon found that the 36-year-old was taking pictures and creating videos of him sexually abusing children whom “he had access to,” deputies say. A sheriff’s office spokesperson said that the office is withholding details of his relationship with the children due to Marcy’s Law.
A search warrant executed at DeVane’s Fort Meade home confirmed where the abuse took place, according to the sheriff’s office. The bed sheets, mirror and window coverings in his bedroom matched that of the images, deputies said. Even the clothes worn during the abuse were discovered, they said.
Detectives also searched DeVane’s cellphone, which they said contained 70 videos and pictures of child pornography. The victims were between the ages of 2 and 12, according to the sheriff’s office.
Investigators contacted the Department of Children and Families, then booked DeVane into the Polk County Jail. As of Wednesday afternoon, he’s being held without bond until his first court appearance on Thursday.
A search of DeVane’s criminal history yielded several felony convictions for intentionally driving with a suspended license, fleeing a law enforcement officer, and methamphetamine possession.
This story was originally published July 23, 2020 at 4:44 PM with the headline "He was around children under the age of 12. He filmed his sexual abuse of them, cops say.."
