Man who sexually assaulted three girls in Lincoln was sentenced to centuries in prison

LINCOLN, Neb. (KOLN) – A Lincoln man will likely spend the rest of his life behind bars after being sentenced to centuries in prison for sexually assaulting three teenage girls.

Lancaster County District Court Judge Matthew Mellor sentenced Maurice Thomas, 44, to 205 to 252 years in prison on Thursday. He was given 523 days of credit for time served.

Thomas was convicted in October of five felonies, including first- and third-degree sexual assault of a child, production of child pornography and possession of child pornography.

Police officers were notified of attacks by the mother of three teenage girls in Lincoln on May 30, 2023. The girls, ages 8, 9 and 10, were forensically questioned days later. Each child, along with 20-year-old Sahara Williams, described sexual abuse at the hands of Thomas, according to the arrest affidavit.

Authorities later discovered that Thomas had recorded several incidents of abuse on his cell phone and had more child pornography in his possession. Prosecutors argued that Thomas threatened to harm the girls if they did not submit to the abuse.

Thomas and Williams were taken into custody on June 16, 2023, and subsequently charged following interrogation. When Thomas’ sentence was decided, Judge Mellor found that he was a habitual offender due to his multiple prior felony convictions in 2004. Thomas won’t have the right to have a good time until his minimum sentence is served.

Williams pleaded not guilty last year to two counts of first- and third-degree sexual assault of a child. The next hearing date is scheduled for January 16. The court aims to send the case to trial in February if Williams rejects the plea agreement.

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