Roswell Man Sentenced For Attempted Sex With 11-Year-Old: Police

ROSWELL, GA — A Roswell man has been sentenced for attempting to have sex with someone he believed was an 11-year-old girl he met on the internet.

Devin Herman, 22, of Roswell, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Amy M. Totenberg to 10 years in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release. Herman had been convicted on Aug. 21, after he pleaded guilty to one count of attempted coercion and enticement of a minor.

“Unmonitored internet and online chatting make it easy for potential predators to meet and sexually exploit children,” said U.S. Attorney Byung J. “BJay” Pak. “We will not tolerate this conduct. Our mission is to protect citizens, especially the most vulnerable members of our community.”

In February, an FBI agent acting in an undercover capacity posted an ad online pretending to be a mother in metro-Atlanta. On Feb. 19, Herman responded to the ad by sending the agent a message. Over the next three days, Herman and the undercover agent exchanged multiple messages that led to Herman arranging to meet in person to have sex with the 11-year-old daughter.

In the chats, the undercover agent told Herman that she was looking for someone to “teach” the 11-year-old girl. Herman told the mother that “it sounds like it’d be a fun time.” Herman then explained what he would do to the purported child. During the chats, there were also times where Herman believed he was chatting directly with the 11-year-old girl, and he asked the child what she liked and what she wanted him to teach her.

When Herman showed up at the planned meeting location in Alpharetta on Feb. 22, he was instead met by FBI agents and taken into custody. Upon his arrest, Herman was found to be in possession of Skittles, a cell phone, and two condoms. During the undercover chats, Herman had been told that Skittles would make the eleven-year-old child feel more “comfortable.”

The Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated this case.

“The facts of this case are shocking but unfortunately all too common,” said Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta, Chris Hacker. “This sentencing sends a message to Herman and any other predators that the FBI will go to any length, within the constraints of the U.S. Constitution, to bring you to justice.”

Assistant U.S. Attorney Alex R. Sistla prosecuted the case.

This case is being brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In February 2006, the Attorney General launched Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices around the country, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.