May 1, 2008

A Douglas County jury wasted little time here Wednesday in returning a guilty verdict against a man charged with five counts of statutory rape and sodomy, in a case that dates back to 2006. Leon Thomas, 56, was found guilty on all five counts in Douglas County Circuit Court. He will be held in the Douglas County Jail until formal sentencing on July 8, the court said. Thomas, who shows a Springfield address, has apparently been living in Louisiana. A spokesman for the Douglas County Sheriff’s Department said Thomas was extradited from Louisiana to stand trial. Chief Deputy Vernon Johnson, of the Douglas County Sheriff’s Dept., said the offenses for which Thomas was charged occurred in Douglas County and involved two victims under the age of 14. The Herald was told it took the Douglas County jury only 45 minutes to reach a verdict in the case. Jury selection for the trial began on Monday. Thomas was prosecuted by the Missouri Attorney General’s Office. He was represented in court by public defender Linda McKinney. Judge John Moody of the 44th Judicial Circuit presided over the trial. Court records show that on May 5 Thomas is to report to the Douglas County Jail where he will be incarcerated until his formal sentencing in July.