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Thomas Ebersole appears in a booking photo from January 2024. (Marion County Sheriff’s Office)
A Florida man faces several felonies after he admittedly drove to Ohio and returned with a 16-year-old girl he met playing World of Warcraft, authorities say. He allegedly had plans to make the child his wife.
Thomas Ebersole, 31, stands accused of interfering with child custody, traveling to meet a minor to engage in sexual activity, and sheltering an unmarried minor, according to Marion County records reviewed by Law&Crime.
On Jan. 3, local law enforcement was contacted by the FBI, asking for help to locate the missing girl, the Marion County Sheriff’s Office said in a press release. And, just as World of Warcraft brought the man and the girl together online, the game quickly pulled them apart in real life.
The 16-year-old logged into her World of Warcraft account at Ebersole’s address on the day deputies were contacted by the federal agent, according to an arrest affidavit obtained by Law&Crime.
Investigators also determined that Ebersole had an account for the multiplayer online role-playing game, “Salt Warrior,” which was active at the same IP address on the same day.
Upon a detective’s arrival at Ebersole’s residence, the defendant initially “denied knowing of anyone by the victim’s name but ultimately hung his head,” quickly excused himself, and then returned with the girl, the affidavit says. The girl, for her part, was described as “frustrated but cooperative” and told investigators “she had requested the defendant do this,” the affidavit alleges.
Ebersole first said he and the girl were just friends, but later admitted to having a romantic relationship that got physical — inclusive of “passionate kissing” that left him with several “hickies” on his neck, the sheriff’s office claims. The defendant, however, maintained he and the girl did not have sex or otherwise engage in “unlawful touching.”
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After being read his Miranda rights, the defendant “admitted to driving in his 2019 Nissan two door to pick the victim up from Ohio,” the affidavit says. Later, “the defendant made admissions to having a romantic relationship and ultimately planning to hide the victim inside of his residence and have her become his wife,” the document adds.
During his interview, Ebersole allegedly showed investigators several messages between himself and the girl on Discord — a messaging, calling, and videoconferencing app popular with gamers. In those messages, the defendant allegedly sent the 16-year-old an image of the Nissan with a promise that he would give the car to her, writing: “All yours darling.”
Various other pet names and terms of endearment between Ebersole and the alleged victim are documented in the affidavit.
The affidavit also suggests both Ebersole and his would-be child bride were aware that what they were doing was wrong.
The defendant allegedly texted the victim, while driving to pick her up, that he was considering “contingencies,” but said “don’t wanna text it,” because he was “paranoid about the text chain.”
Before departing the Sunshine State for the Buckeye State, the defendant allegedly messaged the girl: “I leave soon.”
To which the girl replied: “Crimes!”
The defendant is being detained in the Marion County Jail without bond. He is next slated to appear in court on Feb. 6.
