Devonte Andrew Edwards, a 26-year-old from Kalamazoo, was sentenced on Apr. 15 to 360 months in prison for the sexual exploitation of a child, according to an announcement by U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Timothy VerHey. Chief U.S. District Judge Hala Y. Jarbou presided over the sentencing and emphasized the need to protect the public from Edwards.
This case highlights ongoing concerns about child safety and online exploitation, as well as law enforcement's efforts to prosecute such crimes at both local and federal levels.
VerHey said, “Devonte Edwards enjoyed finding children to sexually assault, enjoyed making recordings of his sexual assaults, and enjoyed bragging about it to his friends. I doubt he will enjoy being in federal prison for the next 30 years, but that is exactly where he belongs. Sexual predators take note: Keep your hands off of our kids or you will be found, prosecuted and sent to prison for a very long time.”
Authorities began investigating Edwards in spring 2025 after Child Protective Services discovered that a 13-year-old had run away with an adult male. Police used forensic tools on the minor’s phone and found evidence linking her disappearance to Edwards’s residence. A search warrant led police to seize electronic devices from his home; images and videos showing sexual assaults were recovered along with messages where Edwards described his actions.
Edwards was initially detained in Kalamazoo County before being indicted by a federal grand jury on charges of sexually exploiting a child under federal law; he pleaded guilty on December 17, 2025.
Jennifer Runyan, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Detroit Field Office said: “Anyone who exploits a child should expect to spend decades behind bars, and this 30-year sentence sends that message loud and clear... Parents should remain vigilant, as many apps allow interaction with strangers and can expose children to serious risks.” David Boysen, Chief of the Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety added: “These cases are complex and often cross jurisdictions... Protecting children is our highest priority.”
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety investigated this case while Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jonathan Roth and Austin Hakes prosecuted it.
This prosecution took place under Project Safe Childhood—a nationwide initiative launched by the Department of Justice in May 2006—aimed at combating child sexual exploitation online through coordinated efforts among various agencies.
The U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan supports community health through heroin and opioid awareness efforts according to its official website. The office maintains staffed locations in Grand Rapids and Marquette along with unstaffed offices in Lansing and Kalamazoo according to its official website. It is part of the United States Department of Justice according to its official website with approximately seventy prosecutors, civil litigators, and support staff according to its official website. The office prosecutes federal crimes while managing civil litigation involving government interests according to its official website, ranking among one of America's longest-standing federal law enforcement districts according to its official website. Covering an area home to around 1.6 million residents across Michigan—with offices throughout—the district also provides victim support services during prosecutions or debt recovery processes according to its official website.
