Somerset County DA Thomas prohibited from duties in courthouse, protection order dismissed

SOMERSET, Pa. — Somerset County’s president judge has ruled that District Attorney Jeff Thomas can no longer conduct his duties as the chief prosecutor of the county in the courthouse, while an out-of-county senior judge agreed to dismiss a protection from abuse order filed by the victim of the sexual assault case against him.

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The motions come two days after the Pennsylvania Supreme Court Disciplinary Counsel suspended Thomas’ law license indefinitely while the legal proceedings against him play out, NBC affiliate WJAC reported.

ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER

The motion by Judge D. Gregory Geary issued Friday prevents Thomas from “(E)xecuting any complaint, motion or other legal document to be filed with the court on behalf of the Commonwealth; appear on behalf of the Commonwealth in a court proceeding; enter the well of any courtroom, except in his capacity as a victim or defendant; sit at or near counsel table in any courtroom, except in his capacity as a victim or defendant; and communicate, by electronic or other means, with any assistant district attorney who is representing the Commonwealth during a court proceeding.”

The order is in effect until the Supreme Court takes further action on the case.

Thomas has taken a leave of absence since he was charged with sexual assault, aggravated indecent assault and other charges from an incident Pennsylvania State Police allege happened inside a Windber woman’s home in September. A rape charge in the case was later dropped in exchange for other felony charges being added earlier this month.

PROTECTION ORDER WITHDRAWN

With bond conditions in place from the September charges that already prevent contact with the victim, the attorney of the alleged victim in the case asked the court during a hearing on the matter Friday to withdraw the temporary protection from abuse order filed in the days after charges were filed.

The woman’s attorney, Matt Zatko, did try to have the records of the case sealed to protect the victim’s identity. He also expressed concern that the victim’s name, which is publically listed in documents related to the PFA order, was further disseminated in a link to the Zoom meeting set up for the hearing through the Administrative Office of Pennsylvania Courts.

While the woman’s name is publicly available in court documents, WJAC does not normally name people who say they were victims of sexual assault unless they come forward publically to say they are a victim.

Thomas’ attorney, Ryan Tutera, said the PFA’s were frivolously filed to put information out publicly that put Thomas in a bad light. He also argued in court something he previously told the press last month, that based on conversations he said he had with Zatko that he believes the victim wore a wire to record a conversation with Thomas in the days following the encounter in question, and that the victim never sought medical treatment after the alleged incident.

The judge overseeing the case, former Cambria County president judge Timothy Creany, agreed to dismiss the temporary abuse order but also dismissed the attempt to seal the records of the case.

An arraignment on the criminal charges, set for next month, has been waived by Thomas. Creany said he will be working with the Somerset County courts and Tutera to set a date for their next hearing.

Thomas, through Tutera, has denied the charges that allege he entered the woman’s home uninvited carrying beer, and following a verbal and physical argument where she told him to leave, he pushed her down and sexually assaulted the woman.

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