Charges against area man reduced
WAYNESBURG – A Nemacolin man who was arrested in September for allegedly engaging in sexual intercourse with a teenager in an unoccupied mobile home in Cumberland Township in March pleaded guilty to a single count of statutory sexual assault.
Bailey Charles Thorne, 19, of 302 Cedarwood, was sentenced to 11 ½ to 23 ½ months incarceration with credit for time served of 152 days. He is further ordered to pay $750 in fines plus court costs and fees and to have no contact with the victim.
Thorne was also sentenced in two unrelated cases. He received a consecutive sentence of 5-years of probation for pleading guilty to a July 5 theft by unlawful taking case. Thorne also pleaded guilty to a June 24 charge of the unauthorized use of a motor vehicle. Judge Farley Toothman gave Thorne an additional 2 years of probation for the June 24 charge to be served concurrently to the 11 ½ to 23 ½ month sentence.
He is to pay restitution in the theft case of $2,247.27 to Carol Toothman, who is of no relation to the sentencing judge.
Charges of burglary, criminal trespass, four counts of involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, four counts of indecent assault, luring a child into a motor vehicle, corruption of minors, four counts of aggravated indecent assault and four counts of sexual assault in the March case were withdrawn.
According to a criminal affidavit filed before Greene County Magisterial District Judge Lee Watson, the juvenile was brought to Cumberland Township police by her mother to speak with police Chief Craig Miller about incidents involving Thorne.
Miller said the juvenile gave details of the location where the alleged acts occurred and how she came to know Thorne. She told Miller they met in late February and her mother became aware of inappropriate contact in late March.
The juvenile told Miller the mobile home was a hangout for her and some of her friends. She said she did not want to get Thorne into trouble by telling what happened there. She considered Thorne to be her boyfriend, according to the complaint.
Miller said sexually explicit text messages from Thorne were found on the girl’s cellphone. Her mother indicated others could be located on a digital notebook she gave to her daughter.
State police aided in the investigation by sending a records and identification unit to the mobile home to gather evidence.
Miller said Thorne admitted to having sex with the girl on one occasion at the Route 21 Mobile Home Park, but denied having intercourse with her any other dates.