Indiana man to serve life in prison for child molestation and sexual assault in 1987 cold case

Indiana man to serve life in prison for child molestation and sexual assault in 1987 cold case

Published on Tuesday, June 16, 2026

Attorney General Peter F. Neronha announced today that an Indiana man has been sentenced in Washington County Superior Court to serve life in prison at the Adult Correctional Institutions (ACI) for child molestation and sexual assault.

On June 16, 2026, Superior Court Justice Sarah Taft-Carter sentenced Frank Thies (age 70) to two consecutive life sentences to serve at the ACI. Additionally, Judge Taft-Carter issued a No Contact Order between the defendant and the victims.

On December 11, 2025, following the conclusion of a nine-day trial, a jury found the defendant guilty of one count of first-degree child molestation and one count of first-degree sexual assault.

"Today, justice is possible because of the tireless bravery that these two victims demonstrated during the original investigation and in the decades since," said Attorney General Neronha. "Through advancements in genetic genealogy, the defendant will finally be held accountable for his terrible crimes. With this significant sentence, though long overdue, I hope other victims feel empowered to come forward and seek justice. I thank the Rhode Island State Police for their partnership on this challenging case."

During the trial, the State proved beyond a reasonable doubt that on April 12, 1987, the defendant sexually assaulted two juvenile female victims at knifepoint in the woods of Exeter. The two victims, both under the age of fourteen, were not known to him.

"The victims in this case have waited decades for a just outcome, and I hope today's sentencing provides them with some closure," said Colonel Darnell S. Weaver, Superintendent of the Rhode Island State Police and Director of the Department of Public Safety. "I want to commend our Troopers and our partners in the Attorney General's Office for their thorough investigation and diligent prosecution that brought this case to its conclusion. We recognize that nothing can undo the harm that was done, but today's outcome reflects our commitment to justice, no matter how much time has passed."

Assistant Attorney General Timothy Healy and Special Assistant Attorney General Jessica Villella of the Attorney General's Office and Detective Sergeant Kyle Draper and Major Michael Quinn (ret.) of the Rhode Island State Police led the investigation and prosecution of the case. The Rhode Island State Police were assisted in the investigation by members of the Indiana State Police.

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