A Hempfield man faces serious charges after allegedly making sexual advances towards a 13-year-old girl at a school bus stop. Michael D. Thomas, 71, is accused of solicitation, corruption of minors, and stalking following an incident where he was observed by state police appearing confused at the bus stop after the usual gathering had been relocated for the girl's safety. According to TribLIVE, Thomas had interacted with the girl multiple times over the past year, escalating to using money along with his comments.
The girl, a student at Wendover Middle School, had reported Thomas's behavior after he had initially stopped to talk to her, including giving her $20 and asking her not to tell her parents. Her concerns grew when Thomas made a sexual remark regarding her appearance. She boldly recorded their interaction on her cellphone, and school police and state authorities reported it. In a statement detailed by Shore News Network, the girl conveyed that Thomas had made inappropriate remarks, like wanting "to see her suck on that lollipop."
Following the reports, the Hempfield Area School District took immediate action, adjusting the location of the bus stop to ensure the girl's safety. Hempfield Area Superintendent Mark Holtzman confirmed that they moved the bus stop and that no further issues were reported.
Thomas was eventually arrested after state troopers, parked in an unmarked car, watched him try to locate the girl at the original bus stop junction. Upon his arrest, Thomas allegedly admitted to state troopers that he made sexual comments because he was attracted to the young teen. According to court papers, a preliminary hearing for Thomas is subsequently set for Oct. 30. He was held at the Westmoreland County Prison, with bail set at $75,000, and no attorney had been listed for him in online court records at the time of reporting.
