Somerset judge grants protection order against DA Thomas

Patrick Buchnowski, The Tribune-Democrat, Johnstown, Pa.
·1 min read

Sep. 25—SOMERSET, Pa. — A Windber woman was granted a protection order against Jeffrey Lynn Thomas, the Somerset County district attorney charged with raping a woman on Sept. 18.

Somerset County Court Judge Daniel Rullo granted a temporary protection from sexual violence order on Thursday.

Both parties are scheduled to appear before Rullo on Friday.

State police in Ebensburg charged Thomas on Wednesday with rape, indecent assault, strangulation, simple assault and criminal trespass.

Thomas, also of Windber, allegedly arrived at a woman's home in the borough on the night of Sept. 18 with several cans of beer and became "agitated" after the woman rejected his advances, told him to leave and slapped him, according to a criminal complaint.

Thomas then struck her in the face, grabbed her by the neck and then raped her on the couch, the criminal complaint said.

He left the house after the woman told him she wouldn't contact police, the complaint said.

Thomas was arraigned by on-call District Judge Douglas Bell, of Meyersdale, and sent to Cambria County Prison on $5,000 bond. Thomas has since been released from prison.