Sidney man arrested on sexual assault allegation

A 49-year-old Sidney man has been arrested and charged with sexually assaulting a child in the third degree, a Class IIIA felony.

The arrest of Robert Thurow Jr. last week followed an investigation that began nearly a year ago. According to court documents, Thurow allegedly sexually assaulted a young girl in May 2014.

A probable cause affidavit in the case states that during a medical exam of the girl in June of last year, health care workers found possible evidence of sexual assault. Law enforcement officers were called, and the girl said Thurow had touched her “lots.”

In an interview with police last summer, he denied the charges and offered to take a polygraph test.

Thurow was arraigned in Cheyenne County Court last Friday, and a preliminary hearing is scheduled for Monday, May 11 at 1:30 p.m. He is being held on $100,000 bail.

Thurow had a previous run in with Cheyenne County law enforcement in 2008 when he was arrested following a WING Drug Task Force investigation. More than 100 marijuana plants and $17,000 in cash were found at his residence west of Sidney.

Media accounts of the arrest reported it was one of the largest marijuana busts in the history of Sidney at the time.

That case was handed over to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for prosecution. According to court documents, Thurow pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute marijuana and user in possession of firearms.

The cash found at his house, in addition to a dozen firearms, were forfeited.

Thurow was sentenced to five years in a federal prison. According to the Federal Bureau Prisons, he was released on May 3, 2013.