Sexual Abuse Charges Against School Staffer Dropped

ANNAPOLIS, MD — Eight sexual abuse of a child charges have been dropped against a Severna Park man who worked at an alternative school in Annapolis, online court records show, but the accused staffer still faces three counts of second-degree assault. Mark Thoms, 38, of Severna Park, was employed by the Anne Arundel County Public Schools during the time of the allegations.

According to the website for Mary Moss at J. Albert Adams Academy, Thoms was a support worker at the building, which serves grades six through nine.

In April 2018, the Department of Social Services received a report of child sexual abuse. The Annapolis Police Department Criminal Investigations Section worked with the Department of Social Services to investigate the complaint. The victim reported being abused on several occasions between November 2017 and March 2018 in an Annapolis home by Thoms.

Thoms turned himself in to the Annapolis Police Department on Oct. 9. When school district officials learned of the allegations against Thoms in April, he was transferred to a job in the district's central office, district spokesman Bob Mosier told the Capital-Gazette. Thoms was placed on administrative leave in June, Mosier said.

After the sexual abuse charges were dropped last month, Thoms was reinstated by the school district and assigned a position where he has no contact with children, WBAL reports.

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Investigators say anyone with information on the allegations should contact detectives at 410-260-3439. Anyone wishing to remain anonymous can call Metro Crime Stoppers at 1-866-7LOCKUP or the Annapolis Police Department Tip Line at 410-280-CLUE.

Photo of Mark Thoms courtesy of Annapolis Police Department