WILKES-BARRE — A Wyoming man remained jailed after a Luzerne County Court of Common Pleas judge denied to lift another judge’s capias warrant issued when he appeared late for a probation violation proceeding, and after he allegedly spat on Sheriff Genesis C. Arias earlier this week.
Judge Michael T. Vough issued a capias warrant, also called a bench warrant, for Devin Verrez Thomas, 30, of Tripp Street, when he failed to appear when his case was called on Tuesday.
Thomas was scheduled for a revocation hearing on allegations he violated probation requirements to attend court-ordered batterer’s intervention classes and failure to pay fines that total more than $4,000, according to court records.
Thomas entered Vough’s courtroom about 10 minutes after the capias warrant was issued.
A female court employee advised Thomas of the capias warrant and that he needed to go to the Court Administration Office.
Thomas uttered a lewd sexual remark to the employee as he exited the courtroom.
While at the Court Administration Office, Thomas allegedly spat on Sheriff Arias when he was being detained on the capias warrant.
Judge Joseph F. Sklarosky Jr. denied to lift the capias warrant for Thomas on Wednesday resulting in him staying jailed at the county correctional facility pending the alleged spat investigation.
County Manager Romilda Crocamo issued a statement about the incident.
“Violence of any nature is wrong, regardless of whether you are a public servant or a private citizen, but the act of spitting on another human being is absolutely vile. I, along with the entire Luzerne County administration, strongly condemn the alleged disgusting act recently by a person being taken into custody who spit on Sheriff Genesis Arias — while she was doing her job.
“Sheriff department employees, and for that matter, all court employees, face tenuous situations many times on the job, and they are prepared for that. But when another human being repulsively attacks those employees with spit, it takes that work atmosphere to an undesirable level. No person should have to experience such an assault. It will not be tolerated, not by this administration, and I believe, not by residents of Luzerne County. I join all county employees and residents in saying that we hope this person will be fully prosecuted to the extent that the law allows,” Crocamo’s statement says.
In April 2024, Vough sentenced Thomas to two years’ probation on charges of criminal attempt to commit institutional vandalism, criminal mischief and harassment stemming from an incident in Nanticoke City on April 5, 2023.
Thomas was charged by Nanticoke police with damaging a woman’s cellular phone during a domestic dispute and damaging a toilet/sink inside the police department’s inmate holding cell that was flooded, court records say.
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