Ex-Milwaukee County Supervisor Johnny Thomas charged with fourth-degree sexual assault, disorderly conduct

Former Milwaukee County Supervisor Johnny Thomas — who was cleared of bribery charges in a high-profile 2012 trial — has now been charged with fourth-degree sexual assault and disorderly conduct. 

The criminal complaint, filed by Milwaukee County prosecutors earlier this week, accuses Thomas of touching the breasts of one coworker and exposing the breasts of another in separate incidents earlier this year. Thomas is an accountant at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs in Milwaukee. 

Both charges are misdemeanors. 

Thomas pleaded not guilty in Milwaukee County Circuit Court on Tuesday. Court Commissioner David Sweet released Thomas on a signature bond and ordered him to have no contact with the two coworkers. 

Craig Mastantuono, Thomas' attorney, said his client was surprised that he was arrested over the weekend because police had not previously contacted him to get a statement during the investigation. 

"He's now released on his own recognizance, as he's obviously not a flight risk," Mastantuono said. "We are in the process of reviewing the accusations and will respond in court."

Elected in 2008 to the Milwaukee County Board, Thomas was charged in 2012 with felony counts of bribery and misconduct in office after being targeted in a sting operation involving a top county official. 

Prosecutors based their case on Thomas' acceptance of $500 in cash at a coffee shop and recordings of that exchange, as well as other conversations with the official, who was pretending to offer campaign donations on behalf of a county contractor.

A Milwaukee County jury deliberated for less than 90 minutes in August 2012 before acquitting Thomas on both the bribery and misconduct charges.

"I feel fully exonerated," he told the Journal Sentinel shortly after being cleared in the case that could have put him away for more than nine years. 

RELATED:With Johnny Thomas acquitted, some question reason for sting

In 2016, Thomas tried to return to public office but came up short in his bid to be elected city comptroller, losing 51% to 48% to the incumbent, Martin Matson. 

In the current case, Thomas is accused of touching the breasts of a coworker without consent while the two were having lunch at the veteran affairs' office on March 11. The coworker said she did not inform her supervisor "for fear of a fight at her workplace," according to the two-page complaint. 

The second woman said she was having a conversation with Thomas in a hallway at the office when he asked, "Did you wear that dress for me?” He then unzipped her dress a couple of inches, exposing her chest while he rubbed against her breasts, the complaint said. The woman said she immediately contacted her supervisor.

On the fourth-degree sexual assault charge, Thomas faces up to a $10,000 fine and nine months in jail. The disorderly conduct charge carries a maximum penalty of a $1,000 fine and 90 days in jail.

Bruce Vielmetti of the Journal Sentinel staff contributed to this report.

Contact Daniel Bice at (414) 224-2135 or dbice@jrn.com. Follow him on Twitter @DanielBice or on Facebook at fb.me/daniel.bice.