A 51-year-old man already listed as a registered sexual predator is back behind bars in Tampa, after deputies say he pressured a 15-year-old girl for nude photos and then tried to use those images to keep her talking to him.
Deputies arrested Thornell Thomas on May 29 and charged him with multiple felonies: three counts of transmission of harmful material to a minor, sexual cyberharassment, unlawful use of a two-way communications device and resisting an officer without violence. Investigators also say Thomas lied about his age while messaging the teen.
According to a Facebook post from the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, the case started when the juvenile reported the online messages, prompting an investigation that deputies say led to probable cause for Thomas’s arrest. The agency’s post lays out the specific charges and states that Thomas threatened to release the explicit images if she stopped communicating with him. For the full account from the agency, see the sheriff’s post on the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office.
Background on the suspect
Public records and registry entries show this is not Thomas’s first time facing sex-related charges. A public offender profile lists a 2001 conviction for lewd or lascivious battery on a child, along with later convictions related to registration failures and computer solicitation, according to OffenderRadar.
Thomas was also arrested in a 2013 case after allegedly traveling to meet a teenage girl, per a 2013 report from Patch.
Charges and legal context
The count cited by deputies, transmission of harmful material to a minor, is set out in Florida law at Fla. Stat. § 847.0138 and is commonly charged as a third‑degree felony. Sexual cyberharassment, which covers threats to share intimate images, appears at Fla. Stat. § 784.049. Florida’s sentencing laws establish the typical penalty ranges for third‑degree felonies under the state’s main penalty statute.
Because Thomas is listed as a registered sexual predator, he is also subject to ongoing reporting and residency requirements overseen by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. Those obligations are detailed in FDLE guidance and related Florida statutes.
Next steps and resources
The sheriff’s Facebook post did not list booking or arraignment dates, and deputies say the investigation is still active. The agency is asking anyone with information to contact investigators, according to the notice.
If you suspect online sexual exploitation of a child, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children’s CyberTipline takes reports at report.cybertip.org or 1‑800‑THE‑LOST. If a child is in immediate danger, call 911.
