logo
St. Paul fire inspector kidnapped, attempted to sexually assault teen: Charges

St. Paul fire inspector kidnapped, attempted to sexually assault teen: Charges

Yahoo8 hours ago

The Brief
A 73-year-old man is charged with attempted criminal sexual conduct after allegedly trying to sexually assault a 13-year-old.
Investigators say the girl missed her school bus, and thought the 73-year-old was a security officer.
Court documents show that instead of giving her a ride to school, he took her to his apartment.
ST. PAUL, Minn. (FOX 9) - It was a terrifying morning for a 13-year-old girl who was just trying to make it to school. Last month, after missing the bus, the girl ended up in a car with a man who is now charged with allegedly trying to sexually assault her.
The City of St. Paul says that the man is a 73-year-old DSI Fire Inspector with The City.
What we know
Court documents say on May 21, a 13-year-old girl missed her school bus, and walked blocks to try to get to school. It was raining, and the girl stopped on Phalen Boulevard in St. Paul to go to a medical clinic to ask for help getting to school. That's where she encountered 73-year-old James Allen Thomas sitting in a gray SUV, near the entrance of the clinic.
Thomas asked if the 13-year-old needed help. Court documents say she was shivering when she said yes, and through her iPad, she communicated that she needed a ride to middle school. Because of his uniform, she thought he was a security officer.
Documents show Thomas turned off both his cell phones after leaving the clinic.
Investigators say instead of taking the 13-year-old to school, Thomas drove her to his apartment on the 1100 block of Agate Street.
Court documents say the girl noticed a foul smell and saw beer cans. He motioned for her to go to the bedroom, where Thomas attempted to sexually assault the girl.
He then allegedly offered the girl $50 twice to do sexual acts with him, and she said no both times.
Investigators say, afterward, Thomas grabbed the 13-year-old's iPad and asked if it had the location finder on. She said she didn't know and needed to get to school.
Thomas then took the girl back to his car and started driving, court documents say. While driving, Thomas asked the girl several questions, including what her address was, to which she gave her school address. Thomas then took the girl to her middle school.
Court documents say when the girl got out of Thomas' SUV she approached a school staff member and hugged them tightly and was shaking, visibly upset, that staff member told investigators.
Thomas got out of the vehicle and told the staff member he was a "Sergeant with the St. Paul Fire Department."
What they're saying
The St. Paul Fire Department tells FOX 9 they don't have the ranking of sergeant or an employee named James Allen Thomas.
The City of St. Paul says Thomas is a DSI Fire Safety Inspector II with the city.
Documents show Thomas was arrested Thursday, admitting to seeing the 13-year-old in the clinic parking lot off Phalen Boulevard and giving her a ride to school. But he denied it took him 45 minutes to travel 6.5 miles to the girl's school.
What's next
The documents also say Thomas also denies trying to have sexual contact with the 13-year-old. He added that the girl looked about 10-years-old and seemed scared while she was with him. Thomas posted bail, and he is charged with kidnapping, second-degree attempted criminal sexual conduct and soliciting a child to engage in sexual conduct.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

St. Paul fire inspector kidnapped, attempted to sexually assault teen: Charges
St. Paul fire inspector kidnapped, attempted to sexually assault teen: Charges

Yahoo

time8 hours ago

  • Yahoo

St. Paul fire inspector kidnapped, attempted to sexually assault teen: Charges

The Brief A 73-year-old man is charged with attempted criminal sexual conduct after allegedly trying to sexually assault a 13-year-old. Investigators say the girl missed her school bus, and thought the 73-year-old was a security officer. Court documents show that instead of giving her a ride to school, he took her to his apartment. ST. PAUL, Minn. (FOX 9) - It was a terrifying morning for a 13-year-old girl who was just trying to make it to school. Last month, after missing the bus, the girl ended up in a car with a man who is now charged with allegedly trying to sexually assault her. The City of St. Paul says that the man is a 73-year-old DSI Fire Inspector with The City. What we know Court documents say on May 21, a 13-year-old girl missed her school bus, and walked blocks to try to get to school. It was raining, and the girl stopped on Phalen Boulevard in St. Paul to go to a medical clinic to ask for help getting to school. That's where she encountered 73-year-old James Allen Thomas sitting in a gray SUV, near the entrance of the clinic. Thomas asked if the 13-year-old needed help. Court documents say she was shivering when she said yes, and through her iPad, she communicated that she needed a ride to middle school. Because of his uniform, she thought he was a security officer. Documents show Thomas turned off both his cell phones after leaving the clinic. Investigators say instead of taking the 13-year-old to school, Thomas drove her to his apartment on the 1100 block of Agate Street. Court documents say the girl noticed a foul smell and saw beer cans. He motioned for her to go to the bedroom, where Thomas attempted to sexually assault the girl. He then allegedly offered the girl $50 twice to do sexual acts with him, and she said no both times. Investigators say, afterward, Thomas grabbed the 13-year-old's iPad and asked if it had the location finder on. She said she didn't know and needed to get to school. Thomas then took the girl back to his car and started driving, court documents say. While driving, Thomas asked the girl several questions, including what her address was, to which she gave her school address. Thomas then took the girl to her middle school. Court documents say when the girl got out of Thomas' SUV she approached a school staff member and hugged them tightly and was shaking, visibly upset, that staff member told investigators. Thomas got out of the vehicle and told the staff member he was a "Sergeant with the St. Paul Fire Department." What they're saying The St. Paul Fire Department tells FOX 9 they don't have the ranking of sergeant or an employee named James Allen Thomas. The City of St. Paul says Thomas is a DSI Fire Safety Inspector II with the city. Documents show Thomas was arrested Thursday, admitting to seeing the 13-year-old in the clinic parking lot off Phalen Boulevard and giving her a ride to school. But he denied it took him 45 minutes to travel 6.5 miles to the girl's school. What's next The documents also say Thomas also denies trying to have sexual contact with the 13-year-old. He added that the girl looked about 10-years-old and seemed scared while she was with him. Thomas posted bail, and he is charged with kidnapping, second-degree attempted criminal sexual conduct and soliciting a child to engage in sexual conduct.

Juror in Derrick Thompson trial: ‘You're deciding another man's life'
Juror in Derrick Thompson trial: ‘You're deciding another man's life'

Yahoo

time2 days ago

  • Yahoo

Juror in Derrick Thompson trial: ‘You're deciding another man's life'

The Brief Juror Lucas Sundelius spoke with reporters Friday after Derrick Thompson was found guilty on all 15 counts in the 2023 crash in Minneapolis that killed five women. Sundelius said the jury was hung up on whether Derrick Thompson's brother was in the car at the time of the crash. They also had lengthy discussions about his actions being an indifference to life. Thompson will be sentenced July 24. MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - Derrick Thompson was found guilty in Hennepin County Court on Friday of 15 counts, including third-degree murder, in a 2023 crash in Minneapolis that killed five women. What happened A jury found Thompson guilty on the 15 counts against him, including third-degree murder and criminal vehicular homicide, for the crash that claimed the lives of Salma Mohamed Abdikadir, Sahra Liban Gesaade, Sagal Burhaan Hersi, Siham Adan Odhowa, and Sabiriin Mohamoud Ali. What they're saying As members of the jury left the Hennepin County Courthouse on Friday, juror No. 9, Lucas Sundelius, spoke to reporters about being a part of the trial. Deliberations in the case took a little more than a day. "It became more important to me how detailed you have to be, because you're deciding another man's life," Sundelius said. "It was rigorous, kind of chaotic at times, we were not agreeing on things, the majority of the first day we were pretty divided." Why you should care According to Sundelius, the jury's longest conversation was about whether Damarco Thompson, Derrick's brother, was in the car and driving at the time of the crash. Damarco Thompson testified in court that Derrick was the driver. During his testimony, Damarco said after they left the airport rental facility, Derrick Thompson was the one driving the Escalade, and he drove the challenger to Woodbury. Some of Damarco's belongings were in the Escalade, but the jury determined Derrick was the driver through evidence presented in the trial. Mainly, Derrick is 6-5, Damarco is shorter and the driver's seat was significantly back, as if a taller person were driving. Derrick's entire defense was to cast doubt that he was driving. They also found him guilty of murder for driving around 90 miles per hour at the time of the crash on a city street. "I think the part that hung us up was the indifference to life aspect of it. We had a very long conversation. Obviously it wasn't intentional, but that doesn't mean he's not indifferent to it," Sundelius said. "We determined through his actions he was indifferent to the loss of life." What they're saying Sundelius said being on the jury was a bit chaotic, but in the end, they feel they made the right decision. Thompson is set to be sentenced on July 24. "Since I got on this journey, I've been thinking about those families every day. I can't even imagine how they feel, no parent should ever have to bury their child," Sundelius said. "The fact it happened to five families, it was weighing on me."

Dundalk man faces felony charges after road rage incident, police say
Dundalk man faces felony charges after road rage incident, police say

Yahoo

time3 days ago

  • Yahoo

Dundalk man faces felony charges after road rage incident, police say

A Dundalk man was arrested on firearm and felony drug charges Thursday after an alleged road rage incident on Interstate 695, according to Maryland State Police. The investigation into Travis Dontray Thomas began as a review of the roadway incident, which took place on the Outer Loop before Interstate 95, according to a news release. After identifying Thomas as a suspect, troopers said they found the 26-year-old at his job in Harford County, where they recovered a firearm and 12 individually packaged bags of suspected cocaine from his backpack. Another search at Thomas' home turned up additional firearms and suspected cocaine, police said. Court records show Thomas has been charged in both Baltimore and Harford counties. In Baltimore County, where the alleged road rage incident took place, Thomas was charged with first- and second-degree assault, as well as a firearm misdemeanor. In Harford County, where he was arrested, Thomas faces handgun and drug charges, including a drug trafficking felony. Thomas is being held at a detention facility in Harford County, according to public records. As of Friday afternoon, he did not have an attorney listed as representing him in either county. Have a news tip? Contact Luke Parker at lparker@ 410-725-6214, on X as @lparkernews, or on Signal as @parkerluke.34.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store