COMPOSER ACCUSED OF ABUSE

Author: Chris Brennan, Daily News Staff Writer

A Bucks County composer who wrote tunes from some of soft rock's biggest stars and was lauded for adopting 28 children - mostly boys - is being hunted by police in Bucks County after five of his young charges accused him of sexual assault.

Thomas Cusick, who knew he was the target of a criminal investigation, had cleared out his rented house at 315 Cottonwood Drive when police arrived yesterday morning to arrest him, Bucks County District Attorney Alan M. Rubenstein said.

Cusick is wanted on five counts each of corruption of a minor, indecent assault and endangering the welfare of children. The investigation began when a 17-year-old boy described the alleged abuse to police, Rubenstein said. Four more of Cusick's boys told similar stories.

"They say the abuse began when they were about 9 years old," Rubenstein said.

Cusick has reportedly written music for the television hit "Little House on the Prairie" and for stars Barry Manilow, Olivia Newton-John, Tony Orlando, Lionel Ritchie and Neil Diamond.

"He's going to be writing 'Jailhouse Rock' soon," said Rubenstein, who spoke to Cusick's attorney yesterday and expected the composer to surrender today.

Cusick has been living for about 18 months in the upscale Eagle's Mere subdivision in Middletown Township, after moving from Staten Island, N.Y. He was married briefly in Staten Island, Rubenstein said, and had a housekeeper living with him in Bucks County.

Cusick had 13 boys living the home - nine adopted and four in foster care. Rubenstein said the boys have been placed with the Bucks County Department of Children and Youth.

"My daughter played with a couple of the kids that were in her grade at school," said neighbor William Jarr. "It's kind of a surprise."

Rubenstein said Cusick, 47, has adopted 24 boys and four girls in Staten Island. He started when he was 18.

"One of the things that troubles me is one would think, after a while, New York authorities would have a red flag waved at them," Rubenstein said.

Instead, the Borough of Staten Island awarded Cusick a citation in 1997 for adopting so many young boys, Rubenstein said.

And the National Fatherhood Initiative in Washington D.C. named Cusick Father of the Year in 1998, Rubenstein said.

Cusick lived across a Staten Island street from Edina Pelinkovic for about a year.

"It's a really nice neighborhood" she said. "To hear something like this is quite surprising. We saw the kids playing outside. There were a lot of kids, mostly boys. I never saw any girls."