KINGSTON, LUZERNE COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) — Kingston Police arrested a Nanticoke man Thursday and charged him with solicitation of a minor.
Police say they arrested and charged William Jesse Thomas, on Thursday, for allegedly engaging in sexual chats with who he believed to be a minor.
According to a police criminal complaint, detectives received an email from a cooperating witness (CW) with information regarding an incident where Thomas wanted to meet up with the CW, believing them to be a 15-year-old girl.
The criminal complaint says that the CW also sent emails to police containing alleged evidence against Thomas which included text chats and photos Thomas sent to the CW as they posed as a 15-year-old girl.
As the complaint reads, Thomas engaged in sexual chats with the CW posing as a young girl and when he went to meet the 15-year-old, he was confronted by the CW.
Detectives say Thomas denied that he was meeting a 15-year-old girl and told the CW to “go get people causing real crime.”
According to court papers, Thomas was arraigned in front of District Judge James Haggerty on Thursday, November 17, who set Thomas’ bail at $10,000. Unable to post bail, he is currently being held at Luzerne County Correctional Facility.
Thomas is charged with two third-degree felonies and four first-degree felonies, including criminal solicitation, criminal attempt of unlawful contact with a minor, statutory sexual assault, and criminal use of a communication facility.
A preliminary hearing is scheduled for November 30, Wednesday at 10:30 a.m.
