June 06, 2018
A Philadelphia lawyer was sentenced to 84 months in federal prison on Monday for possession of child pornography.
Devon Edward Sanders, 48, of Glenside, will be incarcerated for downloading and possessing more than 94,000 images and videos of child pornography, according to U.S. Attorney William M. McSwain.
Chief U.S. District Judge Lawrence F. Stengel called the defendant’s collection “massive” and described the images and videos of children being sexually assaulted “dehumanizing, horrendous, and disgusting,” the U.S. Attorney's Office said in a news release. The court rejected Sanders' request for probation, ruling a significant prison sentence was warranted based on the “disturbing” crimes committed over a 10-year period.
A hearing for 25 victims seeking mandatory restitution will be held within the next 90 days, the court ruled.
“We agree wholeheartedly with Chief Judge Stengel’s assessment,” McSwain said a statement. “By possessing these horrific images, this defendant victimized innocent children for more than a decade. A significant prison term was not only warranted but necessary.”
The court also imposed on Sanders a 10-year term of supervised release and ordered him to undergo sex offender evaluation and treatment after his release from prison.
The case was investigated by Department of Homeland Security and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michelle Rotella.
