Ray County, Mo. — Devin Allen Howerton of Ft. Riley, Kansas, has been sentenced to 10 years in the Missouri Department of Corrections following his guilty plea, entered under an Alford plea, to multiple felony charges related to sexual offenses against a minor. The sentencing was handed down on January 30, 2025.
Howerton was convicted on three felony counts stemming from an incident on June 28, 2018. He was charged with first-degree sexual abuse involving a victim under 14 years of age (a Class B felony), second-degree sodomy (a Class D felony), and first-offense sexual misconduct involving a child under 15 (a Class E felony).
Judge Kevin Walden of the Ray County Circut Court accepted Howerton’s Alford plea, meaning he did not admit guilt but acknowledged that sufficient evidence existed for a conviction. The court found that the plea was made voluntarily and accepted the terms of the plea agreement disclosed in open court.
Under the sentencing terms:
- Howerton received five years in prison for the charge of first-degree sexual abuse.
- He was sentenced to five additional years for second-degree sodomy, which will run consecutively to the first sentence, bringing his total sentence to 10 years.
- A four-year sentence was imposed for the charge of sexual misconduct involving a child under 15, which will run concurrently with the other sentences.
In addition to incarceration, Howerton will be subject to lifetime supervision under Missouri state law. The court also ordered him to pay $68 to the Crime Victims Compensation Fund and assessed additional court costs.
After sentencing, Howerton began serving his sentence immediately. He was transferred to the Missouri Department of Corrections. The prosecution dismissed additional charges as part of the plea agreement.
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