A former member of the Twelve Tribes Community Church in Island Pond has been charged with sexual misconduct involving children.
Thirty-four-year-old John W-Thomas Junior of Savoy, Massachusetts, has pleaded not guilty to two felony charges of lewd and lascivious conduct with a child and a third felony charge of sexual assault on a minor.
Thomas was released on 10-thousand dollars bail and conditions that he not have contact with two of the alleged victims and all juveniles under the age of 16..
The charges allege that Thomas as a teacher with the church sexually abused children who resided in the church community in 1995.
Thomas was expelled from the church in 2002.