Inset: Thomas Spencer (Ada County (Idaho) Sheriff’s Office). Background: Ada County (Idaho) District Court (Google Maps).
An Idaho man accused of boasting online about drugging and sexually assaulting a woman, while also recording the abuse and sharing the footage in a chat group, has been sentenced to life behind bars.
Thomas Spencer, 51, received the life sentence after pleading guilty to rape on June 29.
In a press release from the Ada County Prosecutor’s Office, authorities said Spencer participated in a Telegram group where members “shared videos of drugging and sexually assaulting victims while they were unconscious.”
Prosecutors said Spencer allegedly uploaded at least eight videos showing repeated assaults on the victim. Investigators later uncovered hundreds of additional videos during the case.
In one message cited by prosecutors, Spencer reportedly wrote, “Can’t count how many times I’ve done that!”
Authorities said Spencer appeared to have been sharing similar material as far back as 2019. In posts made to the encrypted messaging platform, he also used the victim’s name while bragging about the assaults, according to prosecutors.
“In another message, he described drugging her specifically so he could violate her without her knowledge or consent,” the prosecutor’s office said, noting that Spencer remained active in the group until the time of his arrest.
When shown the videos, the victim recognized herself in the footage, but she had no memory of what happened to her, the press release said.
“She described waking up after drinking wine with unexplained headaches and pain consistent with sexual assault, and recalled once confronting Spencer after noticing he had taken photos of her,” the press release said.
District Judge Annie McDevitt called the crimes “unfathomable,” the prosecutor’s office said.
“The conduct in this case is horrific,” she told the defendant. “I don’t think there’s a word strong enough to describe how egregious your behavior was.”
The victim spoke at the sentencing hearing, describing the heavy toll Spencer’s assaults have taken. She told the court that she has experienced sleeplessness and fear, and has struggled to come to terms with the realization that she had been manipulated for years, the press release said.
“I ask the court to consider the lasting and irreversible impact his crime has had on my life and my children’s lives,” the victim said, according to the press release.
Prosecutor Jan Bennetts praised the victim for speaking out.
“I commend this victim for her incredible courage,” Bennetts said in the press release. “This wasn’t a stranger who attacked her in a moment of opportunity — this was someone she trusted completely, who chose to violate her again and again, then shared it with strangers for their entertainment.” The sentence, Bennetts said, “reflects just how serious that betrayal of trust was, and sends a clear message that this conduct will not be tolerated.”
The prosecutor’s office thanked federal law enforcement for partnering in the case.
“This case was only uncovered because the FBI was watching for exactly this kind of exploitation, and Meridian Police moved quickly once the tip came in,” the press release said. “The Ada County Prosecutor’s Office is grateful for that partnership — without it, this victim may never have known what happened to her.”
In exchange for the guilty plea, four additional counts of rape, as well as a count of video voyeurism and delivery of a controlled substance, were dismissed. Spencer may be eligible for parole after serving 40 years.
