Man facing new assault charges
Thomas accused of raping juvenile girl over period of several months
From Mirror staff reports
A Hyndman man accused of raping a juvenile female over a period of several months while her guardian was at work had new charges filed against him on Friday after the victim’s interview at the Children’s Advocacy Center.
Anthony B. Thomas, 58, is now facing four felony counts of rape by forcible compulsion in addition to the previously filed four felony counts each of statutory sexual assault – 11 years older and corruption of minors – defendant age 18 or above, as well as four misdemeanor counts of indecent assault of a person less than 16 years of age.
The criminal complaint was amended on Friday to include the additional charges. A bail hearing and preliminary hearing have both been scheduled on Feb. 5 to “address a possible modification of the bail as a result of the added charges,” online court documents state. Thomas remains in custody at the Bedford County Correctional Facility in lieu of $250,000 bail.
The amended complaint shows the 15-year-old female juvenile victim was interviewed on Wednesday at the Children’s Advocacy Center in Johnstown. When asked to explain what happened, the victim said Thomas wanted to have sex with her because he thought they were in a romantic relationship.
The victim said she was home from school when Thomas forced himself on her and started having sex with her. This happened about five or six times and might have begun when she was 13 years old, but the victim wasn’t sure. The victim told the interviewer it happened in her bedroom, in Thomas’s room and in the downstairs bathroom, court documents state.
The initial charges were brought after state police received a call from a Children and Youth Services employee on New Year’s Eve regarding the victim being seen at the Hyndman Health Clinic. The CYS employee told officers the victim said she had a sexual relationship with Thomas, who is a family friend, according to the affidavit of probable cause.
In an interview with police, the victim’s guardian said the victim was feeling unwell, so she decided to take her to the health clinic. During the visit, the victim said she and Thomas had had unprotected sex, court documents state.
Officers then spoke with Thomas, who said he and the victim had sex four times over the past two months. Thomas told officers he knew what he did was wrong and he knew he was going to be arrested for it, but he wasn’t going to hide or lie about what he did, according to the report.