How Could You? Hall of Shame-Scott Thomas UPDATED

This will be an archive of heinous actions by those involved in child welfare, foster care and adoption. We forewarn you that these are deeply disturbing stories that may involve sex abuse, murder, kidnapping and other horrendous actions.

From North Cornwall Township, Pennsylvania, foster parent Scott Thomas “was arrested Wednesday and charged with involuntary deviate sexual intercourse with a child and 22 counts of sexual abuse of children related to child pornography, among other offenses.

According to a news release from Lebanon County District Attorney Pier Hess Graf, North Cornwall Township resident Scott Thomas was also charged with corruption of minors, indecent assault and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Police began investigating Thomas in November 2019 after officers received reports of a verbal altercation between Thomas and his wife and responded to their home. While there, one of their foster children approached an officer and told them Thomas had allegedly molested children and had child pornography.

According to the news release, the teenage foster child alleged Thomas’ wife had purchased alcohol for her and other foster children, allowed them to drink and smoke marijuana in the home and that Scott Thomas used methamphetamine in the home.

The child also said younger children in the home said Thomas had molested them and taken photos of them, according to the release.

Other foster children told police they had been molested by Thomas. One child said they had been molested by Thomas repeatedly between the ages of 5 and 10, according to the release, and another said Thomas had molested her when she was 5.

A search warrant for Thomas’ electronic devices revealed he had more than 500 images of child pornography in his possession, according to the release. The images included children ranging in age from toddlers to teenagers.

One image is allegedly of a child who had been in his care in the past, according to the release.

Police also allegedly found materials related to the use and consumption of methamphetamine.

Thomas was charged with involuntary deviate sexual intercourse with a child, two counts of indecent assault, corruption of minors, drug paraphernalia, and 22 counts of sexual abuse of children related to child pornography. ”

Lebanon foster parent charged with deviate sexual intercourse with a child, other offenses

[Lebanon Daily News 5/6/2020 by Nora Shelley]

REFORM Puzzle Piece

Update: “A Lebanon County man who sexually assaulted multiple children will spend up to decades in state prison, according to the district attorney.

Scott Thomas, of North Cornwall Township, pleaded no contest to multiple charges in February 2021 of involuntary deviate sexual intercourse with a child, sexual abuse of children related to child pornography and possession of methamphetamine, among other offences.

Thomas molested multiple girls within his care, according to Lebanon District Attorney Pier Hess Graf. Over the past 10 years, she said, Thomas had “countless” children placed in his care through the county Children and Youth Service Department and also informally through family members.

Investigators found more than 532 images and one video of explicit child pornography on his electronic devices. Graf noted that the images possessed by Thomas were “the most vulgar and disgusting” she had ever witnessed.

“The images possessed depicted little children, including babies, being sexually assaulted. It’s hard to imagine a man more deserving of years in state prison than Scott Thomas,” Graf said in a news release.

Police began investigating Thomas in November 2019 after officers received reports of a verbal altercation between Thomas and his wife. One of their foster children approached an officer and told them Thomas had molested children and had child pornography.

The teenage foster child said that Scott Thomas used methamphetamine in the home, according to officials in 2020. The child also said younger children in the home said Thomas had molested them and taken photos of them.

Other foster children told police they had been molested by Thomas. One child said they had been molested by Thomas repeatedly between the ages of 5 and 10, according to the release, and another said Thomas had molested her when she was 5.

Fathers of two victims spoke at Thomas’ sentencing, according to the release, accusing him of the “utmost betrayal when he victimized their daughters.”

“The Defendant took advantage of little girls for his own sexual gratification and perversion. He used the trust placed in him by both the system and family to his own, disgusting advantage,” Graf said.

As part of his sentence, Thomas will be registered as a lifelong Megan’s Law Offender, according to Graf. ”

Lebanon County foster parent who sexually assaulted children will spend decades in prison

[Lebanon Daily 8/30/21 by Matthew Toth]