Philadelphia Attorney Sentenced to 84 Months in Prison for Receiving and Possessing Child Pornography

PHILADELPHIA – U.S. Attorney William M. McSwain announced that Philadelphia lawyer Devon Edward Sanders, 48, of Glenside, was sentenced on June 4 to 84 months in federal prison for downloading and possessing more than 94,000 images and videos of child pornography.

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.” In rejecting the defendant’s request for probation, the court ruled that a significant sentence of incarceration was warranted based on the defendant’s “disturbing” crimes over a 10-year period. The court further ruled that a restitution hearing for the 25 victims seeking mandatory restitution will be held within the next 90 days.

“We agree wholeheartedly with Chief Judge Stengel’s assessment,” said U.S. Attorney McSwain. “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.”

In addition to the term of imprisonment, the court imposed a 10-year term of supervised release and ordered that the defendant undergo a sex offender evaluation and treatment after his release from federal prison. 

The case was investigated by Department of Homeland Security and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michelle Rotella.