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Ed
10-28-2011, 03:53 PM
Washington man gets 2 year sentence for molestation at Typhoon Lagoon

By David Breen,
Orlando Sentinel

3:16 PM EDT, October 28, 2011

A man from the Seattle area was sentenced today to 24 months in state prison after being charged two years ago with lewd molestation on a 13-year-old boy in a wave pool at Disney's Typhoon Lagoon. But when time served is factored in, he should be out after serving another 16 days. :mad:

David Thomas of Mountlake Terrace, Wash., was on vacation from his Seattle suburb with a 15-year-old boy with whom he had lived for a year and known for five years when he performed the lewd act.

The boy's father and a lifeguard said they saw Thomas touch five other adolescent boys, but none complained to deputies.

The teen was doing poorly in school, so his mother thought it would be good for him to live with Thomas, a family friend. Thomas admitted touching boys at Typhoon Lagoon as an "experiment" and because he was "curious."

In court today before Judge Alan Apte for sentencing, Thomas professed his innocence, and said the detectives who interrogated him had twisted and misconstrued his words.

Thomas also said his accuser's father provided false testimony.

Apte also ordered Thomas to pay about $3,000 of court, prosecution and other costs. He also faces five years of sex-offender probation after his release.

Thomas' mother and one of his brothers spoke via telephone from Spokane, Wash., to attest to his character, and take issue with the case against him.

Thomas' brother Mark said his brother had inadvertently bumped into people in the wave pool, and his only crime was "coming to Florida for vacation."

"We might as well live in a communist country," Mark Thomas said, describing his family's disillusionment with the legal system.

The boy with whom Thomas traveled to Orlando on vacation has also accused him of sexual abuse.

That case has yet to be resolved. An earlier trial ended in a hung jury.

~~~~~~~~~~~

Sorry, but in my book there's a special place in you-know-where ( :thedolls: ) for guys like this.

Jeri
10-28-2011, 04:24 PM
So sad!! I do agree with you Ed about a special place for him.
The other thing I find rather disturbing and sad is the fact his family is making excuses for him and their comments to the court.

I have many opinions about this, but will keep them to myself. I pray for the boy and his family that they can get through this and move on with their lives.

DizneyRox
10-28-2011, 07:05 PM
Well, it's nice to know what a lifetime of emotional distress is worth these days.

Mousemates
11-01-2011, 10:05 AM
But when time served is factored in, he should be out after serving another 16 days.

:shake: :mad:

Butters
11-01-2011, 10:18 AM
It is crazy that after 2 years he'll be allowed back in the parks... :mad: