Former Sonoma Boys Home Director Enters Plea In Underage Sex Case

SONOMA COUNTY, CA — A former counselor and clinical director at the Hanna Boys Center in Sonoma pleaded no contest Friday morning to oral copulation with four underage boys more than 10 years ago. Kevin Scott Thorpe, 40, of Rohnert Park, faced a trial in Sonoma County Superior Court on 64 counts of sexual abuse with three boys at the Santa Rosa Catholic Diocese's youth center and with a boy he knew outside of it between 2007 and 2017.

Thorpe pleaded no contest to 10 felony counts of oral copulation with boys in their early teens in June and August 2007 and one misdemeanor count of annoying a victim in 2017.

As part of the plea agreement, Thorpe will be sentenced to 21 years in prison, and the Sonoma County District Attorney's Office will dismiss the remaining counts at sentencing in August.

Thorpe's attorney Joseph Stogner said the charges Thorpe pleaded to involve five specific acts involving the four boys.

Thorpe worked 14 years at the Hanna Boys Center, most recently as clinical director. He also was a volunteer with a youth ministry for teens.

The sexual misconduct came to light when one of the victims, now 24, reported the past sexual abuse to the Sonoma County Sheriff's Office on June 1, 2017. Thorpe was arrested nine days later.

The man said he was afraid at the time of the sexual misconduct that he would be kicked out of the group home if he reported it, the sheriff's office said.

Some of the sexual misconduct also occurred at Thorpe's home, the sheriff's office said.

RELATED COVERAGE:

• Lawsuit Alleges Hanna Boys Center Counselor Had Sex With Teen In Staff Room
• Hanna Boys Center Director On Leave Amid Sex Abuse Allegations: Statement
• Former Sonoma Group Home Counselor Accused Of Sexually Abusing Teenage Boy

By Bay City News Service

Mugshot via Sonoma County Sheriff's Office