Pittsburgh-area man accused of trying to solicit sex from girl at school bus stop
HEMPFIELD TOWNSHIP, Pa. (KDKA) — A Greensburg man is facing charges after investigators said he tried to solicit sex from a 13-year-old girl at her school bus stop.
The victim told Hempfield Area School District officials that her neighbor, 71-year-old Michael D. Thomas, was standing at her bus stop, making sexual comments to her and offering her money.
"We had one particular moment recently, where Mr. Thomas engages in conversation with her," said Trooper Steve Limani of the Pennsylvania State Police. "And while he is talking to her, he talks to her about a lollipop that she has, and he is providing money to her, he is offering her $20, if she would start to suck on that lollipop."
Police said her quick thinking helped land him behind bars.
"Everything fell into place because she started the process right," said Limani. "She allowed us to do a great job because of the information she had and the things she had done."
Police said that after having been approached by Thomas many times before, this time, the teen was ready, recording the interaction on her phone. She then showed that video and reported Thomas to officials and resource officers at Wendover Middle School.
After the district was notified, authorities said they moved the location of the girl's bus stop. The DA's office said troopers parked near the bus stop on Friday and saw Thomas walking through the intersection at the same time the victim would have been there.
State troopers confronted Thomas and interviewed him. The DA's office said Thomas told troopers he made the statements to the victim because he was attracted to her. Police said he admitted to troopers that he knew the girl was underage.
"Hats off to the girl for being brave," said Trooper Limani. "I can only imagine as a 13-year-old and having somebody that's a grandfatherly type of person that's approaching you, realizing that that's completely inappropriate. And having the wherewithal and the courage to walk into school and notify people that could help you."
According to court paperwork, the victim told police that Thomas had stopped to talk to her at her bus stop on multiple occasions in the past year.
Troopers arrested Thomas on multiple charges, including corruption of minors and stalking.
Thomas was arraigned and remanded to the Westmoreland County Prison on $75,000 bail, the district attorney's office said.
