Former day care worker gets 40 to life for sexual assault on 3 girls

A former day care employee was sentenced to 40 years to life in prison Friday for sexually assaulting three young girls.

Cameron Thomas, 33, who was convicted in June of 13 counts including sexual assault against a minor younger than 14, lewdness with a child younger than 14 and attempted lewdness with a child younger than 14.

In handing down the sentence before a courtroom packed with the victims, their families and supporters of Thomas, District Judge Kerry Earley said she gave “very serious consideration” to “probably the most difficult thing I could do as a judge.”

Thomas worked at Kids R Kids Day Care, 2830 S. Cimarron Road, from January 2005 to March 2010.

The girls testified that Thomas molested them in cars, bedrooms of various homes, in cars while running errands and while swimming with them in pools.

They said that he tried to molest them in a storage room at Kids R Kids, but that each time they were able to escape him.

Thomas also was employed by The Bright Child Learning Center, 8060 Blue Diamond Road.

Chief Deputy District Attorney Dena Rinetti, who had requested a sentence of 50 years to life, said Thomas took advantage of a position of trust and power when he abused the girls, who are now 13 to 17.

At Friday’s sentencing hearing, the prosecutor called Thomas “a wolf in sheep’s clothes” who was convicted of “robbing three childhoods.”

She added that prosecutors were “shocked” when a day care owner testified during Thomas’ trial “how she found it appropriate for little girls to sit on a male’s lap.”

Thomas committed “vicious, vile acts against the most vulnerable members of our society,” Rinetti said.

Defense attorney Joel Mann, who said Thomas has a wife and three children of his own, requested a sentence of 20 years to life in prison, the minimum that would have been allowed under the charges for which Thomas was convicted.

Thomas spoke briefly, saying only that he had written a letter to the judge, which was not made public, and “anything else at this point wouldn’t be very polite.”

One of the victim’s mothers said: “It will take them a lifetime to understand that love should not hurt.”

Holding hands, two of the victims wept and trembled as one spoke of the abuse.

“Cameron took so much from me,” she said.

Contact David Ferrara at dferrara@reviewjournal.com or 702-380-1039. Find @randompoker on Twitter.