Alabama- from www.wkrg.com – A former judge accused of sexually abusing inmates and defendants in his court is now facing more allegations.

Herman Thomas, 48, surrendered to authorities at Mobile Metro Jail Monday, three days after a special Mobile County Grand Jury indicted him on 46 new counts including sexual abuse, sodomy, kidnapping and extortion.

The charges are in addition to 57 similar counts Thomas pleaded not guilty to earlier this year.

The latest indictment brings the total number of alleged victims in the case to 16, all men who say the judge paddled them, touched them inappropriately and in some cases forced them to engage in oral and anal sex.

Thomas, who retired from the Circuit Court bench in October 2007 as rumors of the allegations started to surface, surrendered around 12:30 p.m. and was released about an hour later on his own recognizance.

Thomas’ attorney, Bob Clark, scoffed at the indictment saying “you can take a ham sandwich over there, and you can get it indicted.”

District Attorney John Tyson says the new charges will be added to the existing case and will be a part of the trial scheduled to begin October 5.