Somerset County District Attorney Jeffrey Thomas was sentenced to spend 2-7 years in state prison for entering a woman’s home without permission and assaulting her in September 2021.

Cambria County Senior Judge Timothy Creany handed down the sentence during a hearing at the Somerset County Courthouse in Somerset.

Thomas, 37, was convicted at trial in March of strangulation with sexual violence and criminal trespass, as well as counts of unlawful restraint, indecent assault, false imprisonment and simple assault. The jury found him not guilty of sexual assault, aggravated indecent assault and a second simple assault count.

He will be required to register with police as a sex offender for 15 years after his release from prison. That mandate is in connection to the indecent assault conviction.

Thomas plans to appeal his conviction with his attorneys saying that the appeal will include information that was barred from admission at trial.

Pennsylvania Chief Deputy Attorney General Patrick Schulte said that Thomas certainly has the right to appeal, but the prosecutor added that he was astounded by Thomas’ portrayal of himself as a victim during the sentencing hearing.

Thomas said that he ran for district attorney to make a positive change and that in his first year as DA, Somerset County quadrupled the amount of drugs seized and the number of drug busts.

“Made a difference and saved lives,” he said. “Those days are gone, and I am left picking up the pieces. My life has been destroyed in more ways than I can explain. … I’m asking the courts not to take any more time away from my family.”

Creany said that formulating Thomas’ sentence weighed heavily on him.

“I’ve heard statements about the impact on your family life, and I empathize, but I have to look at the entire case as it’s been presented,” Creany said. “If you read the pre-sentencing letters submitted by your defense as well as the prosecution, and testimony during the trial, too, you are painted as two different people. I don’t doubt the side presented today – a family man – but I have to take everything into account.”

“I’m thrilled about the sentence,” Schulte said. “Thomas was elected to protect people of Somerset County. Who would have known people needed protection from him?”