Alleged victims of Bucks Co. serial rape suspect speak out
BUCKS COUNTY, Pa. (WTXF) - Two alleged victims of suspected serial rapist William Charles Thomas addressed the public.
Authorities say Thomas sexually abused the two women, who are now in their 20s, when they were young girls growing up in Levittown, Bucks County.
The women spoke at the offices of the Network of Victim Assistance (NOVA), after expressing their desire to speak publicly.
The women explained in their statements that they were speaking out in order to encourage others who may have been assaulted or abused by Thomas to report it.
Back in February, Thomas was charged with dozens of felonies including child rape, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse with a child and aggravated indecent assault on a child.
Thomas has also been charged with possession and dissemination of child pornography.
Investigators began their investigation after the manager of a Trailer Park off Bristol Pike says a tenant discovered explicit details about someone sexually assaulting two young girls, ages 3 and 6, written on a piece of plywood in a recently renovated trailer.
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The writing identified the victims and their parents by names, and the times when he first molested the girls, according to investigators.
Further investigation revealed that Thomas, who lives in the park, had recently been contracted to renovate the trailer where the writings were discovered.
After receiving this report, the Falls Township Police Department researched previous contacts with Thomas and discovered several incidents of note, dating back to 2000.
Further investigation led detectives to Thomas' prior home in the Pinewood section of Levittown. There, inside a shed, they found more handwritten details of alleged sexual abuse. Some of the writing could be seen, but not read, after it was covered in paint.
Witnesses who reported the original writings also claimed to have been inside Thomas' trailer where they saw photos of a girl who appeared to be naked, and under the age of 18. The witness also noted that Thomas' phone background featured a similar photo of a young girl who also appeared underage.
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On February 2, 2017, officers issued a search warrant at Thomas' trailer, where they found more than 1,000 photos depicting naked children. More than 1,000 pairs of soiled children's underwear were also found inside of his trailer. Forensic teams spent four days processing the evidence inside the trailer.
According to the DA, Thomas' alleged victims ranged in age from 2 to 10-years-old. Of the known victims, the offenses date back to 1997.
District Attorney Matt Weintraub and investigators on the case are asking any other victims, or anyone with knowledge of additional crimes to come forward with information.
Thomas' preliminary hearing is scheduled for March 28 th .
If you have concerns about child abuse or questions, please call Network of Victim Assistance's 24-Hour Victim Support Hotline at 1-800-675-6900. Anyone with information about other victims in this case are asked to contact Falls Twp. Detective Sgt. Christopher Clark at 215-302-3315 or clarkpd@fallstwp.com; or Bucks County Detective Robert Gorman at 215-340-8141 or rgorman@buckscounty.org.