Thompson sentenced to 4 to 12 years for spying case

ELIZABETHTOWN — John "Jack" Thompson was sentenced to 4 to 12 years in state prison on Tuesday. Following his sentencing at the Essex County Courthouse, the former Westport Central teacher was led away in handcuffs. Thompson, 51, pled guilty to four felony counts of unlawful surveillance in the second degree in March. The charges stemmed from the discovery of a pair of cameras Thompson installed in his bedroom to secretly film a young couple as they housesat his Willsboro home. Judge Kevin K. Ryan sentenced Thompson to 1 ⅓ to 3 year consecutive sentences on each of the charges. As he weighed his determination, Ryan said the most significant factor was the level of premeditation involved. "This was planned and planned for some time," Ryan said. Thompson was arrested last April and was originally charged with 22 felony counts of unlawful surveillance in the second degree and one count of unlawfully dealing with a minor. The victims discovered the cameras hidden in a golf bag and alarm clock as Thompson escorted the senior class on a trip to Florida. Ryan agreed with prosecutors that Thompson showed little remorse for his actions, expressing concern only for himself following his arrest. According to court documents, Thompson lamented his loss of income, possibly his home, and even considered suicide following his arrest. "I don't sense any real sense of remorse," Ryan said. "After all that has occurred in this case, your focus remains on you and not the victims." The case was midway through jury selection in March when Thompson abruptly accepted a plea deal after the prosecution presented the defense with what they said was "overwhelming" evidence. Thompson's attorney Reginald Bedell asked Ryan to consider a concurrent sentence, arguing the crimes stemmed from a continued sequence of actions. "This was a continued act, and the sentence should be concurrent," Bedell said. Thompson pled guilty to the four counts occurring on March 28, 30 and 31 and April 1, 2015. Bedell also argued sentencing must be in line with comparable cases at the state and federal level, citing last week's sentencing of former U.S. House speaker Dennis Hastert for 15 months for a financial crime relating to the sexual abuse of teenagers. But, he admitted, Thompson was guilty and committed a "bad act." "Trust is a very important thing," Bedell said. "He deserves punishment, but the level of punishment should be proportional and fair." Two victims joined prosecutors in calling for Thompson to be sentenced consecutively on the charges. In a statement to the court, the female victim, who was 17 at the time of the incident, tearfully described how Thompson promised $175, hot tub access and unlimited alcohol to housesit. The Sun has not named the victims in this case. While other students would pick on the social studies teacher, the victim said she would often come to his aid. But he took advantage of that relationship, she said, and used his position of power to violate that trust. "Jack Thompson saw me as an easy target," said the female victim. "He was my teacher and violated me in a way that every woman fears." The victim she said remained traumatized by her former teacher's actions. One year after the crimes, she continues to struggle with depression. "I often feel like I'm being watched," she said. "Sometimes I feel like I'm losing my mind." The victim's boyfriend, who is 20, called Thompson a "conniving sociopath" who showed no remorse. The victim described his anger at Thompson remaining free on bail for the past year. Running into him around town was inevitable, he said. "I have to see his smug face as he waters his plants shirtless and walks his dogs," he said. Thompson had been spying on students for years, said the victim, citing unspecified evidence collected by authorities that was not used in this case, including evidence that suggested the educator had collected video from his classroom at Westport Central. "It upsets me when I think of how many more people could be victims," said the female victim. Ryan also extended a temporary order of protection to four total victims until 2036. But he refrained from forcing Thompson to register on a sex offender database. Franklin County Assistant District Attorney First Chair David Hayes said he was pleased with the sentence, which he said sends a strong message to deter future perpetrators. "I can't stress enough these actions were not a mistake," Hayes said. Earlier, he called Thompson a "threat to the community." Hayes said there were no easy answers for the victims, who should have been engaged in "carefree" youthful activities this year — not testifying in front of grand juries or giving victim impact statements. "You and your girlfriend and friends will always be victims of Jack Thompson," he said. Thompson portrayed no emotion and spoke little during the proceedings. "I just want to apologize for my actions," he said to Ryan without looking at the victims. "I am deeply sorry and I submit myself to the court." The sentence stopped short of the maximum of 5 ⅓ to 16 years in state prison. Ryan also declined Bedell's attempt to postpone sentencing, citing what the defense attorney claimed were factual inaccuracies in the pre-sentencing report, including the number of videos entered into evidence. Ryan said it is standard protocol for counsel to work on those issues after sentencing. Thompson was also required to pay $175 in restitution to the female victim and $375 for a national DNA database. MORE CHARGES Thompson faces additional charges related to the case following his arrest last month for alleged witness tampering and falsely reporting an incident, both misdemeanors. Authorities say Thompson dialed in a tip to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children that the male victim had underage pornographic images of the female victim on his phone. Earlier, Bedell said the male victim presented a number of factual errors in his statement. "I resented his rage," Bedell said, adding that the victim wasn't forthcoming with the fact that his girlfriend was underage during the time of the incident. Ryan said he did not take Thompson's most recent arrest into consideration in sentencing, citing the lack of time to review the new information. More state and federal charges may be possible, said Hayes, as authorities continue to comb through the evidence collected at Thompson's home. Bedell said his client plans on appealing the sentence. The male victim said he will pursue civil charges against the teacher, who will be eligible for parole in 2020. For now, he and his girlfriend remain focused on recovery. "It's just the tip of the iceberg," he said.

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Thompson sentenced to 4 to 12 years for spying case

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