Glendale police arrest fugitive
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Jackson Bell
A Kansas City fugitive staying at the Glendale YMCA to avoid a
15-year jail sentence for possessing and distributing child
pornography was arrested Tuesday, police said.
Dion Devinny, 47, fled Missouri after his conviction more than a
month ago, Glendale Police Sgt. Tom Lorenz said. Acting on a tip,
officers went to the Y’s Louise Street building at about 10:30 a.m.
and arrested him, Lorenz said.
Devinny had been living at the YMCA, but Lorenz did not know for
how long.
“He was convicted in Kansas City and due to be incarcerated, but
the judge gave him time to clear his affairs before prison,” Lorenz
said. “And in that time, he fled the state and found his way to
Glendale.”
Devinny had a DVD and admitted to officers that it featured child
pornography, Lorenz said.
He was booked on suspicion of possessing the child pornography and
was turned over to the FBI, Lorenz said.
Sgt. Randy Osborne, who investigates sex crimes for Glendale
police, said many of those found with child pornography become
obsessed with the illicit material and “take many steps” to obtain
it.
“I don’t have the answers as to why this type of filth is
attractive,” Osborne said. “But we do find in our work that these
individuals seem to return to possessing this material and try to
locate it through magazines and Internet sights even after they are
sentenced and convicted.”
Lorenz credited the arrest to the partnership between the Police
Department and YMCA to keep criminals out of the organization and
provide a safe environment for its tenants.
“The most important thing to realize is that we had a potential
predator come from out of state and end up in Glendale,” he said.
“And because of our partnership with the YMCA and the officers’
diligent work, we were able to apprehend the fugitive and prevent any
crime from occurring here. We’re happy to send him back where he came
from.”
* JACKSON BELL covers public safety and courts. He may be reached
at (818) 637-3232 or at jackson.belllatimes.com.