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Springboro Tea Party leader turns himself in to police

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By Larry Budd and Ed Richter
Staff Writers Updated 8:41 PM Thursday, April 15, 2010

FRANKLIN — The founder of the Springboro Tea Party turned himself in to police on Thursday, April 15, according to Franklin police.

Brian D. “Sonny" Thomas is accused of violating a temporary protection order and menacing.

Thomas, 37, of Springboro is being kept in the Warren County Jail, pending his arraignment on Friday in Franklin Municipal Court, officials said.

Franklin police said Thomas allegedly threatened a woman on the phone at about 6:47 p.m. Tuesday who was assisting him in picking up his son for visitation. The woman told police that Thomas allegedly threatened her life and that she fears he will harm her if provided the opportunity, police said.

Earlier Tuesday, the mother of Thomas’ son, Alana Turner, 36, called police at 11:02 a.m. to report that he was at her home at 596 Bunker Court in the Franklin Commons apartment complex and that there was a temporary protection order against him being near her.

Thomas was organizing a Tea Party rally for this Saturday in North Park in Springboro. It is unclear if the event is still going on.

Speakers for the rally — including state Sens. Jon Husted and Shannon Jones — dropped out of the event earlier this month after a racist comment was posted on the Springboro Tea Party’s Twitter page.

Thomas said he texted the remark to the Web site in March, while attending a health care rally in Washington D.C., where he was heckled by supporters of amnesty for illegal immigrants.

“I take full responsibility for the action and it was not my intention to be insensitive. While it is never appropriate to make such a facetious comment, I hope that we can put this issue behind us for the greater good,” he said in the posting at www.SpringboroTeaParty.com.

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