No Bail For Ex-North Kingstown High Basketball Coach Charged In 'Naked Fat Test' Case

NORTH KINGSTOWN, RI — Aaron Thomas, the former North Kingstown High School basketball, accused of child molestation in what's been dubbed the "naked fat test" scandal, was arraigned Friday.

Thomas, 55, pleaded not guilty to second-degree sexual assault and second-degree child molestation. Formal charges were filed against Thomas on July 21.

Authorities said Thomas, while employed at North Kingstown High School as a teacher and basketball coach, sexually violated two victims while conducting fat tests. The child molestation charge stemmed from Thomas engaging in sexual contact with a victim under the age of 14, prosecutors said. Prosecutors said the molestation happened between Sept. 1, 2000 and Feb. 22, 2002.

Prosecutors said the second charge stemmed from Thomas coercing his victim during the naked fat test for the purpose of "sexual arousal, gratification or stimulation." The assault happened between Sept. 1, 2019 and Feb. 22, 2020, prosecutors said.

WPRI 12 reported that Assistant Attorney General Meagan Thomas asked the judge to impose a no-contact order against the two victims in the case, as well as anyone under 16. The judge denied the blanket order, but granted it for the two victims.

The judge also denied prosecutors' request for $30,000 bail, ruling Thomas poses no flight risk, because the case has been highly-publicized for about a year, and he has not attempted to flee.

During the investigation, interviews were conducted with more than 30 former students who attended North Kingstown High School from the early '90s through 2020, as well as teachers, coaches, administrators and medical professionals.

Under Rhode Island law, the statute of limitations for second degree sexual assault is three years, which likely made it difficult to turn some for prosecutors to lay out additional charges. However, there is no statute of limitations for second degree child molestation.

More on naked fat test story

• Another School Official Resigns Over 'Naked Fat Test' Scandal
• Student Says Ex-N. Kingstown Coach Molested Him During Fat Tests
• Ex-Judge To Review Naked 'Fat Test' Investigations Into Former Coach
• N. Kingstown Parents Urge Superintendent To Resign Over Fat Tests
• Naked 'Fat Tests' Were Legal, Says Ex-N. Kingstown Coach's Lawyer
• Ex-RI Teacher Fired From New Job Over Naked 'Fat Tests': Report
• N. Kingstown Schools Knew About Coach's Naked 'Fat Tests': Report.