Man accused of planning to rape child, kill family faces more charges

SEMINOLE COUNTY, Fla. — The Longwood man accused of trying to rape a child and kill her family has been hit with 14 new charges.

Shawn Thomas, 29, was arrested by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement in June.

The additional charges filed against Thomas include armed burglary, attempted kidnapping, possession of child porn and attempted murder.

"With these new charges and the new evidence they bring, it's almost a guarantee prosecutors can put this guy away for the rest of his life," WFTV legal analyst Bill Sheaffer said.

According to investigators, Thomas pretended to be a film director and tried to lure young girls and their families to a vacant home in Longwood. He then allegedly planned to film the child being raped and kill the parents.

Initially detectives said only two families were victimized, but new charges were filed after more families came forward to authorities. Thomas now faces a total of 26 charges.

Thomas was arrested before carrying out his alleged plan. He remains in the Seminole County Jail on no bond.

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