A Virginia, Illinois man arrested by Illinois State Police in June for multiple charges of child pornography and sexual abuse is heading to prison.
20 year old Devan J. Rice pled guilty to one count of child pornography in December. In March of last year, ISP Division of Criminal Investigations Zone 4 launched an investigation into Rice after a 13-year-old and a 14-year-old told police in separate interviews that they had been in a sexual relationship with Rice. During the investigation, police reportedly learned that Rice had been in contact with several other juvenile girls through social media. According to ISP, Rice requested nude photos from several juvenile victims through social media messages.
Rice was also linked to the messages allegedly sent by former Virginia Police Chief Bryce Kennedy. Kennedy eventually resigned from the position after social media messages were made public. Rice’s involvement in Kennedy’s case were made public in January when Kennedy received employment with the Grandview Police Department near Springfield. According to reports, Rice disseminated the messages in an effort to get back at Kennedy for writing him a cannabis possession ticket.
The investigation into Rice involved Jacksonville Police, Beardstown Police, the Cass County Sheriff’s Office, the Advocacy Network for Children, DCFS, and the Illinois Attorney General’s Office Internet Crimes against Children Task Force.
Rice heard victim impact statements from both of the victims’ mothers and also presented two character witnesses prior to today’s sentencing by Cass County Judge Timothy J. Wessel.
Rice was sentenced to 7 ½ years in the Illinois Department of Corrections, 4 years of Mandatory Supervised Release, and ordered to pay a $1,000 county fine plus court costs. Rice will also have to register as a sex offender upon release from prison.