About two days later, however, she said her son was arrested on a fugitive warrant.

Since the arrest, her son has been sitting in jail for more than a month, awaiting his return to Pennsylvania to face charges.

“It’s been a nightmare. He’s such a good kid, and then all of a sudden ...” his father said, his voice trailing off.

The man’s father served as a federal prison guard for several years, and offered to go to California to pick up his son and bring him back.

But the idea was shot down by the county assistant district attorney, Ann Targonski, because the extradition process had already begun, the family said.

“He’s been sitting in jail for 37 days now,” the man’s father said. “He hasn’t been arraigned or anything.”

Milton police Detective Todd Ulrich said he could not comment on the nature of the case or the charges.

Best also declined to comment.

Since the alleged incidents, the Dreistadts have switched lawyers and hired Peter Campana, of Williamsport, to handle the case.

Campana said Friday that he wasn’t aware of the specifics because he had to wait for Thomas A. to return to Pennsylvania before any progress could be made. He did say Thomas A.’s warrant to return to Pennsylvania was to face felony charges, and that it has to do with pornographic images on Thomas A.’s computer.

“It’s frustrating the state wouldn’t agree to just let him come back on his own,” Campana said. “He certainly would have, and it would have saved them money and saved him the aggravation he is going through now.”

Kept computer, other belongings at firehouse

Theresa said her son lived and breathed for the fire department and kept many of his belongings there for other members to use — including the laptop computer.

“He had been with the department since he was 15,” she said. “It was his life. He updated training all the time and was a certified (emergency medical technician) by 15.”

He was an Eagle Scout, an assistant Cubmaster, a member of the Boy Scout National Honor Society, a lifeguard at the community pool and was a student teacher at the middle school while he was attending Milton Area Junior-Senior High School, his mother said.