ASA parent arrested

[Anonymous]

I’m shocked and deeply disturbed that as an Eaton parent, I had to find out about this situation outside of school channels. A parent at our school has been arrested for child sexual abuse. It’s alarming that this hasn’t been brought to the attention of families, especially since so many of our children could have unknowingly come across this disgusting individual. I assume this has been brought to the attention of Eaton ES.

Thomas Mahony is listed as JEAP (before and aftercare) leadership. This is very disturbing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:I've been wondering about this case too. My kids go to Eaton so I've seen this guy at the school. I never talked to him but I remember him from the pictures.
Do these cases go to trial? Do the children/victims get questioned by the defense? Seems unbearable.
Will the defense atty try for some sort of deal or push for acquittal?
Unbelievable. Good that he has to stay locked up for now

Thomas is going to fight against the charges.

Then he must have hired a hell of a team. Maybe his Australian government is helping with funding for his defense?

Because of this, and given that his attorney is aggressive, we aren't pursuing pressing charges. We'd really like to do the right thing and add to the existing charges, but we know how the deposition would go, and it's not worth the cost to our kid's mental health.

Does his lawyer have the right to depose a child? Aren't cases like this handled differently, through a video recording of an advocate talking to/questioning the child?

Yes, his lawyer has that right. And I know what kinds of questions they can ask. And they're brutal.

Even if you don't plan to press charges, are you able to file a police report so another victim is on the record?

Yes, his lawyer has that right. And I know what kinds of questions they can ask. And they're brutal

Not sure about filing the police report and not pressing charges. Not sure I see the point, though.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:I've been wondering about this case too. My kids go to Eaton so I've seen this guy at the school. I never talked to him but I remember him from the pictures.
Do these cases go to trial? Do the children/victims get questioned by the defense? Seems unbearable.
Will the defense atty try for some sort of deal or push for acquittal?
Unbelievable. Good that he has to stay locked up for now

Thomas is going to fight against the charges.

Then he must have hired a hell of a team. Maybe his Australian government is helping with funding for his defense?

Because of this, and given that his attorney is aggressive, we aren't pursuing pressing charges. We'd really like to do the right thing and add to the existing charges, but we know how the deposition would go, and it's not worth the cost to our kid's mental health.

Does his lawyer have the right to depose a child? Aren't cases like this handled differently, through a video recording of an advocate talking to/questioning the child?

Yes, his lawyer has that right. And I know what kinds of questions they can ask. And they're brutal.

Even if you don't plan to press charges, are you able to file a police report so another victim is on the record?

Yes, his lawyer has that right. And I know what kinds of questions they can ask. And they're brutal

Not sure about filing the police report and not pressing charges. Not sure I see the point, though.

Just a point of clarification, there are no depositions in criminal cases. The only questioning from defense counsel would be if the case actually goes to trial. PP, please consider at least making contact with the lead detective or the assigned AUSA. Yes, his defense attorney is known as one of DCs best, but her involvement doesn’t guarantee that this is case is going to trial. The lead detective and assigned prosecutor will be able to provide you much more accurate information about what coming forward would entail than an anonymous message board or rumors. I’m so sorry that this happened to your child.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:No picture of this guy?

That usually means one thing?

He's been scrubbed from the internet.

Why wouldn’t they publish the mug shot, though? Especially since the case isn’t closed?

DC stopped publishing mugshots decades ago.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There are two cases posted on the dc court website. One is under the name Thomas Mahony, the other with more detailed information is listed under Mahony Thomas. Think this was just (another) clerical error or do you think it was entered this way to evade detection?

There were similar “errors” re the Richmond pervert mom. Doubt it is a coincidence.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I've been wondering about this case too. My kids go to Eaton so I've seen this guy at the school. I never talked to him but I remember him from the pictures.
Do these cases go to trial? Do the children/victims get questioned by the defense? Seems unbearable.
Will the defense atty try for some sort of deal or push for acquittal?
Unbelievable. Good that he has to stay locked up for now

Thomas is going to fight against the charges.

Then he must have hired a hell of a team. Maybe his Australian government is helping with funding for his defense?

Because of this, and given that his attorney is aggressive, we aren't pursuing pressing charges. We'd really like to do the right thing and add to the existing charges, but we know how the deposition would go, and it's not worth the cost to our kid's mental health.

I am so sorry. I understand your decision.

Would you mind sharing how you know Thomas?

Revealing that would give one too many clues to my kid's identity, and that is something they are incredibly fearful of. (They are older than eight, I'll say that much.) They feel like they're the only one in their community who was affected (it wasn't in the apt. building), but I simply can't imagine that was the case.

I'm not sure I understand how saying how you know Thomas (simply: through swim team, through elementary school, or through apartment building or something else) would identify your child. There's hundreds of kids on the teams and in the school and apartment building.

Wishing you and your child all the healing. I am sorry you're in this situation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m shocked and deeply disturbed that as an Eaton parent, I had to find out about this situation outside of school channels. A parent at our school has been arrested for child sexual abuse. It’s alarming that this hasn’t been brought to the attention of families, especially since so many of our children could have unknowingly come across this disgusting individual. I assume this has been brought to the attention of Eaton ES.

Thomas Mahony is listed as JEAP (before and aftercare) leadership. This is very disturbing.

That is horrifying. Please spread the word far and wide.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Brian L Schwalb let him off in 2023.

Brian Schwab is the elected DC AG who prosecutes most juvenile crime under the Home Rule Act. Do any of you actually live here? The US Attorney for DC, an appointed fed who prosecutes adult crime, in 2023 was Matthew Graves. No idea who the AUSA was that declined the warrant.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:Jeanne Pirro! Wow, we have a celebrity lawyer in the mix now. It looks like she was confirmed as US Attorney for DC last weekend.

Was she the Fox News host? If so, I didn’t realize she’s now the U.S. Attorney prosecuting this case against Mahony.

Makes sense that they’d want a big name celebrity like her in the mix prosecuting Mahony. He’s a former Australian Diplomat. This case has the potential to get big.

She is now the individual whose office will prosecute all adult crime in DC as well as some juvenile crime. DC does not have a prosecutor, rather a federally appointed USA takes on that role here.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m shocked and deeply disturbed that as an Eaton parent, I had to find out about this situation outside of school channels. A parent at our school has been arrested for child sexual abuse. It’s alarming that this hasn’t been brought to the attention of families, especially since so many of our children could have unknowingly come across this disgusting individual. I assume this has been brought to the attention of Eaton ES.

Thomas Mahony is listed as JEAP (before and aftercare) leadership. This is very disturbing.

I’m a long time Eaton parent and am also dismayed by the lack of communication by the school and HSA. On one hand, I understand that there may be legal reasons that they can’t broadcast it out and, so far, it appears that none of abuse occurred at the school. But he was so involved at the school! As was mentioned, he was on the JEAP and HSA boards over the years and was always taking pictures at school events. I learned about it through parent group chats and it seems like there should be a better way.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m shocked and deeply disturbed that as an Eaton parent, I had to find out about this situation outside of school channels. A parent at our school has been arrested for child sexual abuse. It’s alarming that this hasn’t been brought to the attention of families, especially since so many of our children could have unknowingly come across this disgusting individual. I assume this has been brought to the attention of Eaton ES.

Thomas Mahony is listed as JEAP (before and aftercare) leadership. This is very disturbing.

I’m a long time Eaton parent and am also dismayed by the lack of communication by the school and HSA. On one hand, I understand that there may be legal reasons that they can’t broadcast it out and, so far, it appears that none of abuse occurred at the school. But he was so involved at the school! As was mentioned, he was on the JEAP and HSA boards over the years and was always taking pictures at school events. I learned about it through parent group chats and it seems like there should be a better way.

My friend emailed the principal and was told that the school will not make statements per DCPS Counsel.

[Anonymous]

He was grooming whole communities.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:He was grooming whole communities.

As somebody who has known the family for several years, that’s what it feels like.
(My kids are fine - we weren’t that close.)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:He was grooming whole communities.

You're right! That is EXACTLY what he was doing. Ugh.

[Anonymous]

How did he have all this time to volunteer at all these different places AND work full time?