Abingdon public employee admits to child porn - CBS4 - WHBF Quad Cities, IL-IA News Weather Sports

Abingdon public employee admits to child porn, now neighbors are outraged

By: Chris Gilson, cgilson@cbs4qc.com

A public employee who admitted to having child porn, is one step closer to losing his job with the city of Abingdon.

Some parents are outraged the city didn't do something sooner.

At a special meeting Thursday night, Abingdon city leaders took the first step toward firing 53 year old Thomas Marshall, who pleaded guilty to child porn charges last week.

City leaders said they are taking action now because they had no idea Marshall was being investigated by the feds.

But some residents said otherwise.

"The fact is I have kids and the city let me down, let me and my husband and my kids down," said Kellie Nelson.

 Mother of two, Kellie Nelson said she had coffee with her neighbor, Thomas Marshall, all the time in her home and never expected him to be accused of child porn.

 "I trusted him with my kids I trusted him he was like my husbands' friend," said Nelson.

Marshall was being investigated for the past two years and Nelson claims the city knew about it long before this week.

"But no they chose on their own not to say nothing," said Nelson.

Abingdon Mayor Roger Stegall said the city had nothing to do with the federal investigation and Stegall said they are doing everything they can. 

"We are kind of in a bad position because all we can do is react to what these people are doing," said Mayor Roger Stegall.

And one of the ways, the Mayor said the city is reacting, was making the first vote Thursday night to let Marshall go from his position with the public works department.

"We have to do what we do according to our policies and the state's statutes," said Mayor Stegall.

The mayor said it's a situation they never thought they would have to deal with.

"You know I hate this I don't like what's going on and nobody else does either," said The Mayor.

City Council still needs to vote on the decision to terminate Marshall from his job.  The vote takes place at the next council meeting on Monday, December 17th.

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