A Saratoga Springs man plead guilty to several charges, including a count of sexual abuse, in Saratoga County Court on Wednesday, Sept. 17.
Thomas Filion, 68, will face a minimum of probation to as much as seven years in prison after pleading guilty to sexual abuse in the first degree, unlawful imprisonment in the second degree, forcible touching and endangering the welfare of a child.
The charges stem from a Nov. 9, 2007 incident at a YMCA at 290 West Avenue in Saratoga Springs, where Filion allegedly entered the shower stall of a 15-year-old boy and touched his penis. Saratoga Springs Police arrested him on Nov. 28 after an investigation in which the boy identified Filion on surveillance video footage from the YMCA.
Saratoga County District Attorney James Murphy said his office would seek jail time, as well as the revocation of the former educator’s teaching certificate and enrollment on the sex offender registry.
I am extremely pleased that we were able to secure a felony conviction to all the charges, said Murphy in a statement. `Now it is up to the judge to decide the sentence.`
Filion is scheduled for sentencing on Monday, Nov. 17.
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