(Wilmington, DE. 19808) Detectives from the New Castle County Division of Police have charged 54-year-old Thomas Barnhart with multiple counts of unlawful sexual contact. The charges follow an investigation into incidents reported in April 2024 in the 2700 block of Skylark Road. Detectives from the Criminal Investigation Unit were notified and took over the investigation.

Detectives found that between November 2021 and July 2023, Thomas Barnhart, an educator in the Red Clay Consolidated School District, made inappropriate sexual contact with two female victims, both aged 9, while they were at his home. After learning of the allegation, the Red Clay Consolidated School District was notified and fully cooperated with the investigation. Currently, there is no evidence suggesting that any students from the Red Clay School District were involved as victims.

On Wednesday, July 24, 2024, Thomas Barnhart turned himself in at the New Castle County Police headquarters, where he was charged with the following crimes:

• Two felony counts of attempt to commit unlawful sexual contact with a person who is under 13 years old.
• One felony count of attempt to commit sexual abuse of a child by a person of trust 2^nd degree.
• One felony count of unlawful sexual contact with a person who is under 13 years old.
• One felony count of sexual abuse of a child by a person of trust 2^nd degree.
• One misdemeanor count of offensive touching.

Thomas Barnhart was arraigned at the Justice of the Peace Court 2 and committed to the Howard Young Correctional Institution after failing to pay $100,200.00 cash bail.

The Division of Police is concerned that there might be other victims who have not yet come forward. Detectives urge anyone with information about this investigation to contact Detective Matthew Donovan at (302) 395-2781 or via email at Matthew.Donovan@newcastlede.gov

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(Wilmington, DE. 19803) In July 2024, the New Castle County Division of Police was alerted that a teacher at St. Mary Magdalen School had sent sexually explicit photographs to a 14-year-old former student.

Detectives from the New Castle County Division of Police Criminal Investigation Unit were notified and assumed the investigation. Detectives discovered that 24-year-old Alanis Pinion, an 8th-grade teacher, had frequently communicated with her students via Snapchat and had sent sexually explicit photographs to one of them. Upon learning of the allegation, the Catholic Diocese of Wilmington was contacted, informed, and fully cooperated with the investigation.

Alanis Pinion was taken into custody on Thursday, July 18, 2024, and then transported to the New Castle County Police headquarters, and was charged with the following crimes:

•                    One felony count of sexual solicitation of a child under 18

•                    One felony count of endangering the welfare of a child.

•                    One misdemeanor count of indecent exposure first degree.

Alanis Pinion was arraigned at the Justice of the Peace Court 2 and committed to the Baylor Women’s Correctional Institution after failing to pay $46,000.00 cash bail.

The Division of Police is concerned that there may be additional victims who have not yet come forward. Detectives are asking anyone with any information about this investigation to contact Detective Daniel Watson at (302)395-8030 or by email at Daniel.Watson@newcastlede.gov

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