A former El Paso County public defender was arrested last month and accused of having sex with a child, according to court documents obtained by The Gazette.

Thomas Cushing, 26, was arrested on Nov. 22 and faces one charge of sexual assault against a child, according to court records. Colorado Springs police said there may be more victims, according to a news release Friday.

According to a LinkedIn account belonging to Cushing, he worked as a public defender in El Paso County starting in 2022. Prior to that he studied law at the University of Michigan.

James Karbach, a spokesman for the Colorado State Public Defender’s Office, confirmed to The Gazette that Cushing no longer works at the public defender’s office, but declined to comment further.

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An affidavit for Cushing’s arrest details that he met with the victim, who is 14 years old, on two different occasions for sexual intercourse. The affidavit also confirms that Cushing worked as a public defender, and had told the victim “his job was very important and involved ‘classified work.’”

Cushing and the victim met through the dating application Grindr months before meeting in person, but spoke primarily on the messaging platform Discord, according to the affidavit.

The affidavit states that the victim told Cushing that she was 18 years old, but had made it clear that she was a high school student who was still living with her legal guardians. The affidavit goes on to state that the two times the victim and Cushing met in person in late October and early November of this year — where Cushing is alleged to have had sexual intercourse with the victim numerous times — he picked the victim up from a side door of her school.

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The victim’s name and the school she attended are redacted from the affidavit.

There are several sexual messages included in the affidavit between Cushing and the victim prior to the two meeting in person, including one where he tells the victim that he was “at work.” 

The victim also told police that Cushing had given her a “marijuana edible” while she was at his apartment, according to the affidavit. 

Police note within the affidavit that the victim had several bruises and hickeys from her last encounter with Cushing.

“Heya, hope you’ve been able to hide your hickeys at school ;)),” Cushing wrote to the victim after their second encounter, according to the affidavit. The affidavit states that the victim did not reply to that message or any further messages sent from Cushing.

Court records show Cushing was arrested Nov. 22 and posted a $25,000 surety bond to be released from custody the next day. He made his first appearance in Colorado’s 4th Judicial District Court on Dec. 5, and will return to court Jan. 30 for a preliminary hearing.

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Colorado Springs police believe there may be witnesses involved along with additional victims. Anyone with information is asked to call police at 719-444-7000. To remain anonymous, call Crime Stoppers at 719-634-STOP (7687) or 1-800-222-8477.