FRANKLIN — The founder of the Springboro Tea Party, who came under fire for alleged racist comments on the group’s website last spring, will spend the next 15 days in jail.

Franklin Municipal Judge Rupert E. Ruppert sentenced Brian “Sonny” Thomas, 37, Friday, Aug. 27, to 180 days in jail with 165 days suspended for violating a protection order.

Thomas, who received work-release privileges, was convicted in a bench trial on July 15 on the misdemeanor charge. He was also fined $350 and court costs and placed on one-year probation.

Charges were filed against Thomas after he tried on April 13 to visit Alana Turner, 36, who is the mother of his son, at her residence at the Franklin Commons Apartments. Turner has custody of their son and there was a protection order against Thomas that was issued Dec. 30, 2009 by the Warren County Domestic Relations Court.

An additional charge of menacing was dismissed by Ruppert after the Franklin prosecutor learned that the alleged offense happened in Springboro and not in Franklin.

Before the sentence was imposed, Thomas, who wore a white T-shirt and dark jeans, said, “I am not guilty of the crime I was accused of.”

Ruppert disagreed and said based on the pre-sentencing investigation, that “the victim is terrified of you.” The protection order remains in place, according to Ruppert.

After sentencing, Thomas reiterated that he was not guilty of the crime, but declined to make any other comments.

In April, Thomas was organizing a Springboro Tea Party rally when a racist comment on the group’s Twitter page prompted local and statewide candidates to distance themselves from his group.

Thomas said he texted the remark to the website in March while attending a health care rally in Washington, D.C., where he was heckled by supporters of amnesty for illegal immigrants.

Contact this reporter at (513) 696-4504 or erichter@coxohio.com.