LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) – A former Nebraska probation officer accused of having sex with probationers, then lying to the FBI about it, has been found guilty by a federal jury of five counts.
U.S. Attorney Deborah Gilg said Friday that 57-year-old Thomas Peterson, of Kearney, was convicted of four counts of violating the civil rights of female probationers and one count of lying to the FBI.
Prosecutors say that from 2010 through 2014, Peterson had sex with four different women while they were on probation and while he was serving as their probation officer. They also say Peterson tipped off probationers to planned drug tests and of threatening to have one woman’s probation revoked unless she left the state.
Peterson faces up to nine years in prison when he’s sentenced on Oct. 20.