A Lebanon County man is facing 22 counts related to child pornography after authorities say he was in possession of over 500 child porn images.
Scott Thomas also faces charges related to the sexual assault of two young children, and the use of drugs and alcohol around his foster children.
The DA's office says that in early November of 2019, North Cornwall Police were dispatched to Thomas' home for reports of an altercation between he and his wife.
While responding to the call, authorities say an adolescent foster child approached police officers and told them that Thomas had previously molested children and possessed child pornography.
Thomas and his wife had previously been approved as foster parents through Lebanon County Children and Youth, and several foster children were living in their home at the time.
The DA's office says police immediately became investigating the allegation made by the foster child.
Authorities say that the foster child told police that Thomas' wife, Veronica, purchased alcohol for that child and other foster children. The teenager went on to tell law enforcement that Thomas and his wife allowed the children to drink and smoke marijuana in their home.
Police say Thomas himself consumed methamphetamine while in the family's home while caring for the children.
The foster child also told police, according to the DA, that other children in Thomas' care confessed to being molested by him and that he took pictures of their bodies.
The DA's office says two other children allege that Thomas molested them while they were in his care. The first child told police that Thomas repeatedly molested them while they lived with him between ages 5 and 10. Police say Thomas allegedly told the child he loved her and that the molestation was their secret.
A second child, who was 5-years-old at the time of the assault, told authorities that Thomas molested her as well.
The DA's office says law enforcement executed a search warrant on the Thomas residence one week after the start of their investigation.
Authorities seized multiple electronic devices from Thomas home, and forensic examinations of the devices revealed more than 500 images child pornography.
The DA's office says images ranged from toddlers to teenagers and multiple images included adult genitalia. Other images included naked images of children posed with their genitalia exposed.
A follow-up investigation revealed one image of child pornography of a child actually known to Thomas. The DA's office says the child was a toddler at the time the image was taken who Thomas cared for in the past.
Thomas was arrested on May 6, 2020 and faces multiple charges including 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.
Thomas' wife Veronica is also facing criminal charges related to this case.
local21news.com
