Victims' father gets life in prison

RENO " A Reno man was sentenced Wednesday to life in prison plus 20 years for his part in the sexual exploitation of his two daughters which officials believe lasted for eight years in two counties.

Washoe District Judge Robert H. Perry sentenced Kevan Thoman, 35, to life in Nevada State Prison with the possibility of parole in 10 years for lewdness with a minor and 4-20 years for attempted sexual assault of a minor.

Perry ordered the terms be served consecutively.

Thoman and his ex-wife, Stacy Thoman, 32, are accused of engaging in sexual activities with the two girls beginning in 2000, when the oldest girl was 6.

The victims are now 12 and 15 and living with relatives.

"This was a process over a number of years," Perry said. "You had to know it was wrong. You exploited these children when they were relying on their parents for knowledge of right and wrong. It was a calculated decision to harm them when they were most vulnerable."

Stacy Thoman is in custody in Douglas County Jail pending her arraignment Monday before Douglas District Judge Michael Gibbons.

She faces six felony charges involving lewdness with a child under 14 and child abuse or neglect (sexual) of a child under the age of 14 causing substantial bodily or mental harm.

If convicted, she faces life in prison.

According to reports, Stacy Thoman made allegations against her ex-husband last summer to Reno police.

Stacy Thoman came under investigation as a participant and was arrested at Harrah's Tahoe where she works as a cocktail waitress on March 27.

She has been in custody in Douglas County Jail on $100,000 bail since her arrest.

According to reports, the crimes in Douglas County allegedly occurred from October 2004 until February 2008, while Thoman and her ex-husband lived on Granite Way in Topaz Ranch Estates, and continued after the family moved to Reno.

"I know nothing I can say is adequate," Kevan Thoman said at his sentencing. "I'm filled with sorrow and regret. We believed we were being liberal parents and we obviously turned into monsters."

Washoe County prosecutor Kelly Ann Partin read a letter the older daughter wrote in September 2008 after her parents were arrested begging to be reunited with her father.

"Did I say I was in danger?" the girl wrote. "I had many chances to leave. In four years, when I am 18, what will you do to stop me from seeing my father?

"I do see the error of my father's ways, but this is no business of the government. I grew up way too fast, but it was good for me. My father is a proud Libertarian. I will follow his example," she wrote. "I am adult enough to know what I want. I could have worked things out for myself."

Partin said she introduced the letter to show how thoroughly the victims had been indoctrinated by their parents.

"Hopefully, she is in a better place now," Partin said. "This indoctrination in sexual conduct between himself and his wife does not deserve any leniency from this court. There were two victims and two crimes. There is no reason for any leniency."

Thoman's lawyer, Laurence Digesti, said his client was raised in a dysfunctional family.

"This is a very, very sad case," he said. "Two young girls were taken away from their home. What is foremost, however, is what they had to suffer and will continue to suffer. To me, it's just unrealistic to imagine how things like this could go on."

He said Thoman had no prior criminal record and while out on bail did nothing to indicate he would abscond before he was taken back into custody.

Digesti said Thoman had cooperated with Douglas County officials in prosecuting his ex-wife.

"We're talking about a mother participating with her children and their father in these acts. She motivated him to participate in these activities. He just simply did not know how to terminate or stop doing what he was doing," Digesti said.

Thoman was relieved when he was arrested, Digesti said, because the sexual activities stopped.

"In custody, he told me the weight of the world had been lifted off his shoulders," he said.

Digesti asked that the sentences be served concurrently.

"It's difficult to look at the nature of what happened to these young kids and ask this court for some leniency," Digesti said.

The victims' great aunt called Kevan Thoman a monster.

"My prayers are that he get the punishment he deserves, life in prison. He is truly a menace," the woman said. "These were heinous crimes against these sweet and innocent children."

She claimed when Thoman was out on bail he had access to firearms and was stalking his children at their schools.

"That's why his bail was rescinded," she said.