Former Trinity teacher to stand trial on rape, other charges
A former Trinity High School special education teacher was ordered Wednesday to stand trial on rape and other charges for allegedly sexually assaulting two young girls.
Thomas F. Kelley, 46, of San Antonio, Texas, also was ordered held for court following the central court hearing before District Judge Curtis Thompson on charges including statutory sexual assault, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, aggravated indecent assault, unlawful contact with a minor, sexual assault, endangering the welfare of children, corruption of minors and indecent assault.
The alleged assaults reportedly happened primarily at a home in Somerset Township between January 1996 and August 2011.
One of the girls, now 22, testified Wednesday she was 3 years old when the purported abuse began. She said the alleged assaults happened two or three times a week through the age of 12.
While most of the purported assaults happened at the home, the 22-year-old also recalled she was assaulted in the locker rooms at Trinity High School and John F. Kennedy Catholic School. Kelley had coached basketball at JFK and junior varsity tennis at Trinity, she said. The alleged incidents stopped until she was allegedly raped by him when she was 18.
Assistant District Attorney Kristin Clingerman objected when defense attorney Lee Markovitz asked the 22-year-old who she first told about the alleged abuse, explaining that the information would be provided through discovery. Thompson overruled another objection by Clingerman, allowing the young woman to answer Markovitz’ question as to whether there was anyone who witnessed the alleged assault. She identified two girls, including the other alleged victim, as witnesses.
The other girl, who is now 24, said she was between the ages of 5 and 8 when Kelley allegedly assaulted and raped her. The 24-year-old said she had fragmented memory of the alleged abuse of the younger girl.
“But nothing that I could speak to,” she testified.
Kelley’s employment with Trinity ended in 2010. He surrendered his teaching license in lieu of discipline later that year, according to the state Department of Education. He then worked in the gas industry in the Washington area before moving to Texas to work for a fracking company.
Kelley remains in Washington County jail on a $250,000 percentage bond. He is scheduled to be formally arraigned on the charges March 29.