Defendant Sentenced for Sexual Assault on Light Rail Train

DATE: December 8, 2025

CASE: Gregory Thorn (Case #25FE003398)

PROSECUTOR: Deputy District Attorney Ryan Roebuck, Adult Sexual Assault Prosecution Unit

On December 5, 2025, the Honorable James Arguelles sentenced Gregory Thorn to 35 years to life in prison. On August 7, 2025, Thorn was convicted by a jury of forcible genital penetration with a foreign object and indecent exposure with a prior. Allegations that Thorn has a prior strike conviction for robbery and battery with serious bodily injury were also found true at the sentencing hearing.

On May 16, 2024, the victim was riding the light rail train when Thorn boarded the train. Thorn, who was a stranger to the victim, sat next to the victim and started to touch her and pressed his body against her. He then placed his arm around her, positioning his hand underneath her shorts and forcibly penetrated her. When the victim exited the train to stop the assault, Thorn followed the victim off the train and groped and forcibly kissed her. He then pulled his pants down and exposed himself to the victim. The victim was eventually able to get onto her bicycle and ride away from Thorn. The next day, the victim reported the assault to Sacramento police. Video surveillance from the light rail showed the victim being groped and forcibly kissed by the suspect. Further investigation and DNA taken from the victim's sexual assault exam later identified Thorn as the sexual offender.