FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – A Broward Sheriff’s Office deputy arrested on fees that he allegedly attempted to solicit sex from a teenage lady bonded out of prison on Wednesday.
Jemiah Thomas, 35, has been suspended with out pay whilst the investigation continues. On Wednesday, he gave the impression in courtroom.
Judge Chris Brown advised Thomas that based totally on the shortage of his felony historical past, he would set a complete bond of $40,000 — $10,000 every for the 4 criminal counts Thomas is going through, which come with the use of a pc to seduce/solicit a kid, transmitting information damaging to minors, touring to fulfill a kid after luring them on a pc and tried lewd and lascivious/written solicitation of a minor 16-17.
Thomas paid $4,000 in bond to get launched from prison on Wednesday. The pass judgement on additionally ordered that he wear an ankle GPS tracking software.
On Tuesday, Sheriff Gregory Tony spoke concerning the allegations, announcing that Thomas met the 17-year-old sufferer whilst he used to be on accountability and responding to a home violence name in Pompano Beach.
“In this particular case you have a deputy out here who did nothing more than take advantage,” stated Tony.
According to the investigation, Thomas equipped his non-public cellular phone quantity to the woman and started speaking along with her, at one level, telling her that he may well be her “personal sheriff that handcuffs you from time to time,” government stated.
In mid-October, a criticism used to be made to BSO from the woman’s father referring to Thomas, and detectives started an investigation with the help of BSO’s Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force.
Over the direction of 9 days, Thomas would have interaction in textual content conversations with an undercover detective who Thomas concept used to be the woman, BSO stated.
In the ones conversations, Thomas indicated his need to fulfill along with her privately and carry out sex acts on her. Thomas may be accused of sending the kid a photograph of his personal portions, in step with investigators.
On Sunday, government stated Thomas engaged the woman in dialog about renting a lodge room to have interaction in sexual process.
On Monday, Thomas arrived at a Broward County lodge and instructed the woman that he used to be provide and looking ahead to her arrival, deputies stated.
The kid, who used to be an undercover detective, canceled the assembly with Thomas which resulted in his arrest, in step with BSO.
“The arrest of Deputy Jemiah Thomas on these charges is deeply disturbing. One of the most important obligations that law enforcement officers have is to protect our greatest resource, our kids. If these allegations are true, Deputy Thomas broke that trust,” Tony stated at a press convention on Tuesday. “As soon as BSO learned of these allegations, we immediately began an investigation which resulted in Deputy Thomas’s arrest just days later. I have made a commitment to transparency and accountability in this organization, and this case shows, once again, that we will hold our employees accountable.”
Thomas used to be employed by means of BSO on May 15, 2017.
Attorney Sidney Fleischman, who’s representing Thomas, advised the pass judgement on on Wednesday that his shopper is a father of 4, that he and his spouse personal a house in Palm Beach County, and that the deputy is taking a look ahead to protecting himself.
“He’s a good person, he had a great reputation as a police officer. He’s doing well under the circumstances, he’s looking forward to getting out of jail so we can start working on the case and the family is very supportive of him,” stated Fleischman.
The pass judgement on ordered that stipulations of his bond liberate can be no touch with any minors with the exception of for his personal youngsters and members of the family, he isn’t allowed to make use of units with web get entry to, and he must wear a GPS ankle monitor.
Fleischman stated he has 4 minor youngsters, and he’s been married for seven years.
Fleischman stated that since he isn’t incomes an source of revenue, he’ll wish to to find employment.
“He does need to find employment and at least level 2 will allow him to look for work, to get permission from pretrial to be able to work . . .the household when he was working was dependent on two incomes.”
Copyright 2023 by means of – All rights reserved.