Sex charges downgraded in Arundel school case

Prosecutors have downgraded charges against an Anne Arundel County schools employee previously accused of sexually abusing a 13-year-old student he was living with in Annapolis. Mark Thoms, 38, of Severna Park was charged in late September with second-degree assault, sexual abuse of a minor and other sexual assault-related charges. All charges related to sexual abuse were dropped Oct. 25. The county state’s attorney’s office says information Annapolis police submitted regarding the alleged abuse did not provide enough evidence to support the charges. The attorney representing Thoms did not return a request for comment. Thoms at first faced 11 charges, two of which were felonies. now faces