Outrage over accused child molester's participation in parade with kids

A parade spectator sent Action News Jax a photo he said shows accused child molester Craig Peeples driving a Pak’s Karate Academy bus with at least one child aboard during the annual Mardi Gras parade in St. Marys.

There's nothing illegal about it and Peeples has not been charged with a crime, but for attorney Jim Stein, who represents several of Peeples' alleged victims, seeing him at the parade was disturbing.

"Knowing that he had not been allowed to participate in other festivals in St. Marys and other cities in Camden County, I was pretty much set back by that," said Stein.

Action News Jax first reported about the abuse allegations in 2013 when both Peeples and a former karate instructor at the school, Thomas Ary, were under investigation.

Ary was later convicted of child molestation but in Peeples' case, the district attorney said while there was probable cause to charge him, by law, she couldn't because the statute of limitations had run out.

The case pushed Rep. Jason Spencer to draft legislation that would allow alleged victims to seek civil relief instead. It's now a state law known as the Hidden Predator Act.

"He has skated because of a technicality, not because he's right," said Stein.

But others disagree. The parade organizers said Peeples hasn't been convicted of any crime and he had the right to be in the parade.

"It's not a right, it's a privilege and they have a right to determine that," said Stein.

According to a merchant on the parade route who didn't want to be identified, Peeples is innocent until proven guilty.

Action News Jax contacted Peeples' attorney for comment, but we haven't heard back yet.

There's a pending civil lawsuit against Peeples by his former students, who claim he molested them as children. According to Stein, the lawsuit is in the discovery phase.

Cox Media Group