UPDATE: Alleged serial flasher arrested near Corbin Middle School pleads guilty

UPDATE
Thomas A. Gilbert pleaded guilty to all charges when appearing before Judge Kathy Prewitt at the Whitley County District Court on Tuesday morning.

According to the arrest citation, Gilbert was actually walking along 7th Street when he was arrested by Corbin Police Officer Steve Meadors. The arrest stemmed from two calls complaining about a flasher.

The first call came in at 8 a.m. stating that a man wearing ball shorts was walking down Allta Avenue and exposing his genitals. Officer Meadors and Major Rob Jones responded to the incident where the subject, Thomas Gilbert, denied the allegations and stated he “was lost and only trying to get to work.”

The second call was made by Corbin Middle School staff around 12:38 p.m. reporting that the man “was exposing his genitals while on the playground which was viewed from the school window.”

Upon receiving the second call, Meadors arreseted Gilbert without incident.

Gilbert was charged with two counts of first degree indecent exposure and two counts of second degree disorderly conduct.

Under Kentucky law, indecent exposure is considered a class B misdemeanor for the first offense
and a class A misdemeanor for the second offense, if it was committed within three
years of the first conviction. Second degree disorderly conduct is also considered a class B misdemeanor.

Gilbert will return to Whitley County District Court for formal sentencing on August 2.

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The alleged serial flasher that has been roaming Kentucky Street in Corbin has been arrested thanks to Police Officer Steve Meadors.

The arrest occurred Monday around 3:09 p.m. when a staff member called the police about a man walking through the Corbin Middle School parking lot, pulling his shorts down and exposing his genitalia.

The accused, 37 year-old Thomas Gilbert of Paducah, was still found on school property when Meadors arrived. Though Meadors reported that he did not physically see Gilbert exposing himself, there was photographic evidence.

“The staff member actually snapped a picture and I saw the picture,” said Meadors.

Corbin Independent Schools spokesperson Hannah Goins said there were no students in the building at the time.

However, there is some disagreement as to where Gilbert was when the alleged incident occurred.

“He was in the park across Seventh Street,” Goins said. “He did expose himself to an employee across the street.”

Corbin Police Major Rob Jones, the department’s public affairs officer, says they have received multiple calls regarding this man around town. However, because the responding officers have not physically witnessed the act, there was really nothing they could do.

“This is probably our fifth call on this guy I’ve answered,” said Jones.

Meadors reported that Gilbert did not appear to be under the influence.

Jones says Gilbert denies any wrongdoing and made no comment concerning the alleged incident.

Gilbert was arrested and charged on two counts of indecent exposure and two counts of second-degree disorderly conduct because there were multiple victims. He was lodged in the Whitley County Detention Center without bond.