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Sheriff's Department Closes Officer Investigation: The Case Regarding the Deceased Grover Beach Police Lieutenant Involved Alleged Sexual Crimes

Posted on: Thursday, 26 January 2006, 15:00 CST

By Larissa Van Beurden-Doust, The Tribune, San Luis Obispo, Calif.

Jan. 26--An investigation into deceased Grover Beach police Lt. Brian Thomas for alleged sexual crimes has been closed.

The case officially closed Tuesday, but detectives stopped investigating after Thomas' suicide on Jan. 12.

The Sheriff's Department did not release any details of its investigation.

An affidavit for a search warrant -- a public document -- was obtained by The Tribune through the San Luis Obispo County Superior Court.

The affidavit filed by detectives alleges a variety of sexual abuse by Thomas, a Nipomo resident, including rape, bestiality and molestation.

According to that affidavit, allegations against Thomas of physical and sexual abuse were reported to San Luis Obispo County Child Welfare Services on Dec. 19. Just over a week later, child welfare reported the claims to the Sheriff's Department.

On Jan. 9, a child forensic interview specialist from the District Attorney's Office interviewed the three alleged victims.

During the interview, the first alleged victim said Thomas confronted her about viewing his pornography collection, and put her hand onto his bare genitals. That person also said Thomas had an extensive pornography collection.

The second alleged victim said he or she saw a photo on a computer belonging to Thomas depicting bestiality.

A third alleged victim said that sometime in October, Thomas had sex with her while she was passed out from drinking. She also alleged an attempted act involving bestiality.

The investigation

After the interviews Jan. 9, the sheriff's detective asked the first alleged victim to call Thomas.

From the affidavit, it appears that Thomas may have realized the call was being recorded and law enforcement was involved.

Later that day, detectives interviewed Thomas. According to the affidavit, he acknowledged going home after receiving the phone call and discarding part of his pornography collection near the Kmart store in Arroyo Grande.

He described the type of trash receptacle and its exact location.

He also said he still had some pornography at home, locked in a gun locker and in a memorabilia box in his closet.

During the interview, detectives claim Thomas made a number of inconsistent statements, such as where he disposed of part of his pornography collection and his account of the alleged bestiality incident.

According to the affidavit, Thomas admitted to the allegation he had sex with a woman who was incapacitated by drinking.

During the interview, detectives asked Thomas if they could search his house for possible child and bestiality pornography.

Thomas refused to give consent for a search.

Later that day, detectives went to a judge to get approval for the search warrant.

It's unclear what happened after the search warrant was issued, and Sheriff's Department officials have declined to discuss the case.

Sometime on Jan. 11, Thomas checked into a motel in Santa Maria. That night, he killed himself.

Santa Maria police found his body just before noon Jan. 12.

An arrest warrant was never issued.

The case officially closed Tuesday, according to sheriff's officials. That was when the final report was filed.

But the investigation was basically closed after Thomas' suicide Jan. 12, according to sheriff's Cmdr. Ken Conway.

Because the suspect had died, there was no one to prosecute if the allegations proved to be true.

An affidavit, or application, for a search warrant is written by investigators; in this case, sheriff's detectives.

The affidavit is given to a judge, who determines if the allegations warrant a search.

San Luis Superior Court Judge John Trice issued sheriff's detectives a warrant Jan. 9 to search Thomas' home.

The community

Grover Beach Police Chief Jim Copsey said the allegations involved people Thomas knew, not the public.

"I know the details of this (investigation), and it's not something the community should be worried about," Copsey said. "The community was never in jeopardy."

There was never an investigation into wrongdoing at either the department or in the city, Copsey said.

Copsey said he was shocked when he heard the allegations.

If there are any concerns from community members, Copsey said he would encourage them to call him.

"I encourage people to continue to trust me and the organization," Copsey said. "Hopefully this will not have any bearing on the community."

Court documents

Search warrant for Lt. Thomas's home (PDF) http://www.sanluisobispo.com/multimedia/sanluisobispo/archive/thomas1.pdf

Request by Sheriff's detective to seal affidavit of victims (PDF) http://www.sanluisobispo.com/multimedia/sanluisobispo/archive/thomas2.pdf

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Copyright (c) 2006, The Tribune, San Luis Obispo, Calif.

Distributed by Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News.

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Santiago:SANTAMARI,

Source: The Tribune (San Luis Obispo, Calif.)

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