Former Marine colonel sentenced to prison for abusing children

By Nancy Montgomery
Stars and Stripes
July 10, 2018

https://www.stripes.com/news/former-marine-colonel-sentenced-to-prison-for-abusing-children-1.536917

Col. T. Shane Tomko addresses the Warrior Games All-Marine Team in 2014, when he was commanding officer of the Wounded Warrior Regiment. Tomko was sentenced to 18 months in prison Tuesday in the Virginia Beach Circuit Court for abusing children. Photo by PATRICK ONOFRE

The former commander of the Marine Corps’ Wounded Warrior Regiment was sentenced Tuesday to 18 months in prison for abusing children.

Former Col. Todd Shane Tomko pleaded guilty the same day to three counts of misdemeanor assault and battery at the Virginia Beach Circuit Court in Virginia.

Tomko, 55, had been charged with indecent liberties, aggravated sexual battery, and child abuse and neglect involving three children related to him beginning in 2002. Tomko had maintained a high profile, meeting with celebrities, politicians and royalty, until he was forced to retire from the Marine Corps in July 2016 due to sexual harassment and other charges.

Tomko, who had become the pastor of the Parkview Church after retiring, has been in custody since his arrest last November in Quincy, Ill., on federal warrants. He has spent the last several months in the Virginia Beach City Jail.

Tomko will get credit for time served in jail while awaiting extradition in Illinois, according to the plea agreement.

Half of his prison sentence — another 18 months — was suspended. Tomko must “remain of uniform good behavior during incarceration and for 2 years thereafter,” according to the agreement.

Additionally, he is prohibited from contacting the victims in the case, now adults, or their parents.

In 2016, Tomko spent two months in military confinement and was fined $10,000 after driving drunk to his own arraignment on sexual harassment charges and violating a restraining order. In a plea agreement, abusive sexual contact and fraternization charges were withdrawn and all but $10,000 of his fine was suspended.

Four active duty and retired general officers testified for Tomko as character witnesses, including retired Gen. John F. Kelly, former commander of U.S. Southern Command and now White House chief of staff.

Tomko was relieved of command of the Wounded Warrior Regiment in February 2015.