LIMESTONE COUNTY, Ala. (WHNT) — A Russellville man charged with human trafficking and soliciting a child online will remain in jail after a judge denied him bond on Thursday.
Donald Devaney is facing two counts of first-degree human trafficking, two counts of electronic solicitation of a child and two counts of traveling to meet a minor for an unlawful sex act.
Devaney appeared in court for a pretrial detention hearing and preliminary hearing on Tuesday, where the court received evidence and heard arguments.
The judge determined that because first-degree human trafficking is punishable with up to life in prison, Devaney does pose a flight risk.
According to the order denying Devaney bond, he responded to an advertisement online, which led him to have a conversation with a decoy through text message.
“In the conversation the Defendant asked how much it would cost him for two girls,” the order said. “The decoy informed him that she had her friend with her and that it would be $100 for an explicit sex act with the both of them.”
The order said then, the decoy informed Devaney that she and her friend were 15 and he replied asking if they were law enforcement, which the decoy denied.
The document said Devaney remained skeptical but after a phone call with the the two female decoys, he requested the address. When he arrived at the agreed upon location, Devaney was taken into custody with other $500 in his possession.
“He was explicitly told by the decoy that she (and her friend) were only 15 years of age and, not only did he agree upon a price to engage in sexual activity with them, he traveled to their location with that amount of money in his possession,” the judge said.
Devaney was one of nine men charged in the human trafficking operation in Limestone County. He is being held in the Limestone County Jail.
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