Southern Humboldt Man Pleads Guilty to Sexual Assault Charges

This is a press release from the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office. The information has not been proven in a court of law and any individuals described should be presumed innocent until proven guilty:

Thomas Lusk, jrThirty-five-year-old Thomas Leonard Lusk, II, pled guilty today to two violent sex offenses: assault with intent to commit rape or forced oral copulation of one woman and forced oral copulation involving a second woman. The defendant also admitted to a prior conviction for a serious felony under California’s Three-Strikes law. On November 8, 2016 the defendant will be sentenced to prison for 18 years and 8 months, which is the maximum sentence for the crimes he admitted.

In September 2014 the defendant lured a 28-year-old victim inside his isolated residence near Miranda. When the victim immediately realized she was in danger and tried to leave, the defendant forced her to remain and struck her in the head. While she was disoriented and possibly unconscious he took her purse, car keys and cellphone. The defendant demanded sexual acts. The victim devised a way to escape by suggesting the defendant let her go to her car to retrieve drugs. He took her outside with him to the driveway where her car was parked. The victim then fled on foot until she reached a citizen coming to a stop at a nearby Highway 101 off-ramp. The citizen called 911 and assisted in getting her to safety.

In March 2015, a 25-year-old victim went to the defendant’s home looking for his father. While she was in the bathroom, the defendant went in and began beating her in the head with closed fists while telling her that she was going to stay with him. After forcing the victim to orally copulate him, the defendant went to the bathroom and the victim escaped out a back door. She fled wearing only undergarments and could hear him calling her. In fear of pursuit by the defendant, the victim hid on a neighbor’s porch approximately a quarter of a mile from his home, where she was later found and assisted by neighbors.

The investigation by the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office with assistance from the California Department of Justice also revealed that Lusk had tortured and sexually assaulted a third woman while holding her captive for 4 days in July 2015. Charges related to this incident were dismissed as part of the plea agreement out of concern for the well-being of the victim. The extreme physical and emotional trauma inflicted by Lusk prevented her from voluntarily testifying against him.

Deputy District Attorney Stacey Eads prosecuted the case with the assistance of District Attorney Investigator Kyla Baxley. District Attorney Maggie Fleming wishes to express her respect and appreciation for the strength and courage of all the survivors of the defendant’s despicable behavior.

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26 Comments
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amimissingsomething
Guest
7 years ago

This is a sexual predator who will continue doing this until the day he dies. This is another reason are Death Penalty should be used on a regular basis! Maybe he will get his true punishment in prison but no matter what, this sentence is not long enough for the crimes and terror he caused the victims…..and maybe he should have his genitals removed as part of his sentence. Think this is too harsh?? Ask the victims how they feel and how they think about this human POS???

Veterans friend
Guest
Veterans friend
7 years ago

The death penalty is seldom carried out and in any case is far too kind for a person like this man. He will be dealt with far more harshly by his fellow convicts.

Old Thymer
Guest
Old Thymer
7 years ago

What would Jesus do?

Henchman Of Justice
Guest
Henchman Of Justice
7 years ago

HOJ is against a “state controlled ” death penalty…..

But is in favor of the “Ray Liota” style prison……

Dump the worst onto an island free of food and animals (fish only), but enough seasonal waters…..give em packets of seeds and let em “fend for themselves.”

If they try to escape (if not already dead or complying with life sentence of rogue fear), “military exercise” the asses of all involved in any escape however necessary….Alcatraz, but way out in the middle of nowhere without “facilities”.

Captain Obvious
Guest
Captain Obvious
7 years ago

He sounds almost as bad as Trump!

John Chiv
Guest
John Chiv
7 years ago

Obvious, you must be thinking of Bill Clinton. In his case, there is evidence, not fabricated stories before an election.

Cannot wait for the emails to be reviewed.

Captain Obvious
Guest
Captain Obvious
7 years ago
Reply to  John Chiv

Chiv, you’re clueless.

Chiv sucks
Guest
Chiv sucks
7 years ago
Reply to  John Chiv

This coming from the guy who stalks Facebook constantly so he can post personal details of Joe Kitchen’s life without permission? [edit]

Captain Obvious
Guest
Captain Obvious
7 years ago
Reply to  John Chiv

You care about emails, but Trump is going on trial for raping a 13 year old. Majorly clueless. Is Bill Clinton going to trial for rape? No? Then shut the fuck up[edit]

Truth
Guest
7 years ago

Trumpsters in the Dumpster!

Captain oblivious
Guest
Captain oblivious
7 years ago

Trump is not going on trial for raping a 13yr old jeez, it’s all media spun bs (he is an idiot tho) so is she

Lone ranger
Guest
Lone ranger
7 years ago
Reply to  John Chiv

Go Hillary! any woman that is ok with extra martial affairs , has my kind of morals!

Guest
Guest
Guest
7 years ago

Wtf That’s no where near long enough, you would have to try hard to commit a worse crime, he should never be able to harm anyone again! Death plus life! served concurrently

Veterans friend
Guest
Veterans friend
7 years ago

His presumtuon of innocence is rendered moot by his guilty plea, don’t you think.
And a guilty plea is frequently a way to reduce the sentence an individual will receive. Do not rejoice til you hear his sentence. The kidnapping and imprisonment charges were DISMISSED as part of his “bargain”. There should have been no plea allowed. Do you think he would have gotten a “not guilty” from a jury?

Meme
Guest
Meme
7 years ago

As the press release states, the victim of the dismissed crimes was too traumatized to testify. It was the best that could be done, given those circumstances.

Veterans friend
Guest
Veterans friend
7 years ago
Reply to  Meme

There was abundant evidence and testimony of others to support the charges. Maggie Fleming signed off on this deal. The victim would not have had to testify to get a conviction in my opinion. He would have gone away for life, not 18 years.

Over It
Guest
Over It
7 years ago

Hmmm….September 2014- Held a woman captive….March 2015- Held a woman captive and forced her to blow him…..JULY 2015!!- Held a woman captive for 4 days while repeatedly sexually assaulting her!! She’s so damaged she can’t even testify!…..WTF!! Doesn’t it seem like we could have stopped him after the 1st incident of kidnapping?!! What is wrong with this county?! We should have saved women #2 and #3 from this guy! In any case- Woman #3 should have never been put in this danger. Something is seriously wrong with our catch-and-release system, or our courts or our jail system. Something is seriously wrong!!

Penny
Guest
Penny
7 years ago
Reply to  Over It

I agree. With time in his favor, and having been released of 2nd case, every woman passing by him was at risk. Time and feeling he was getting away with it. His crimes worsen with each one. I met the 3rd victim !!! She was so young. She may never feel safe again. Terror and humiliation, pain and nasea are only some of the residues of what occurred.

Lone ranger
Guest
Lone ranger
7 years ago
Reply to  Over It

Agree, ridiculous

Lynn Harrington
Guest
Lynn Harrington
7 years ago
Reply to  Over It

WTF? Right? Were they hoping a relative would blow him away?
” The extreme physical and emotional trauma inflicted by Lusk prevented her from voluntarily testifying against him.”
Extreme physical trama prevented testimony? WTF? Seriously? Serial rapist gets away with almost murder?

HAVE THEY DUG UP THE FREAKIN BACK YARD YET?

Martinman
Guest
Martinman
7 years ago

What brave women!!! Post Traumatic Stress Disorder is going to plague them for the rest of their lives. The 2nd & 3rd might have been prevented if this sociopath had not been released BUT… I wonder how many MORE victims there are that haven’t even come forward because they’re traumatized & don’t feel safe or supported enough to tell their story. So they suffer in silence. Something’s is wrong with our system.

Ben
Guest
Ben
7 years ago

He was a daily sight on the Avenue and seemed quite deranged..

G-ma
Guest
G-ma
7 years ago

After 3 strikes your not getting better,nor are you trying.so alot of people suffer when this animal is out.well that sure doesn’t make me feel safe!!

moocow
Guest
moocow
7 years ago

Umm, is this the guy called Leonard that had a place off of the Bear Butte Rd up to Tostens??

Meaghan Simpson
Guest
Meaghan Simpson
7 years ago

Our depraved system is by and large, the sexist misogyny of, by and for the scum bags sperm club. An undeniable serial kidnapper/assaulter/rapist like this should be castrated and cut off his penis and put him away hard time for life. Period!

USA police have over 500,000 rape kits on shelves for cases they refuse to perform DNA tests on! DAMM!!! I spoke with a very gifted musician man friend genius with a vision… A walker and talker in the New Earth for Peace People and Planet. He is in his forties and his summation of the gender war by, for and of the scum bags sperm club
sickos extremists who deny girls and women’s rights to Planned parenthood even for UNDERAGED rape and/or incest victims…of any age. He told me castrations, penis removals and life in hard prison without PAROL! It is the only way humans can ever stop this insane immoral criminal gender wars by making the punishments fit the crimes. This guy is a wacko monster scum getting off way to light sentence.

Time for citizens to rise up demand justice of punishments such as mentioned and put all the castrated rapists/beaters/incest in the same hard time prisons for sick sperm club members, pedophiles! Human traffiking OY VAY! Hey Old Thymer…What would Jesus do? You must be male. JESUS sure would not “turn the other vagina”…
more like killer karate chops and an axe through his head! The sexist misogyny sperm scum system is not working well at all across America so MATRIOTIC leadership by women and men is required at every level for evolution of our laws for gender rights and put big brakes on the grim gross gruesome grotesque plagues of sexual crimes against women and children! The message must be very clear! Blessings to all the honorary women in men’s bodies who are also feminists and ambassadors for our rights.

Lynn Harrington
Guest
Lynn Harrington
7 years ago

OMG I think that is “nekkidy man”! My late partner and I were boating down the river years ago and upstream of the Miranda bridge we came across this man (I think) naked and in the act of pushing a rock up into his anus. Why? We had no idea. We tried not to but couldn’t help laughing. The guy was pissed and screamed at us as we went by. From then on when we saw him wandering around we called him “Nekkidy Man”. He always gave me the creeps.

WHY wasn’t this taken care of by LEO? 3 times, and those are the ones who got away. DIG UP his yard LEO…. See if there are others.