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Local Man Arrested On Child Molestation Charges
June 18, 2009
A local man has been arrested after he was accused of molesting a four-year girl back in 2000.
Perry Leonard Gibbs, 52, of 5451 Still Road Lot 5 in Bratt, was arrested and charged with molesting a child under the age of 12. He remained in the Escambia County Jail Friday morning on $25,000 bond.
A female told the investigators under oath that Gibbs molested her in 2000 when she was four and five years old, according to Sgt. Ted Roy with the Escambia County Sheriff’s Department. The victim told investigators that the molestation occurred in the Walnut Hill area.
The female made the allegations in May of this year, accord to Roy.
Gibbs, who provided an Atmore, Ala., address at the time of his arrest, made his initial court appearance Wednesday afternoon via a closed circuit video feed from the Escambia County Jail. If he makes bond, Gibbs was ordered to have no direct or indirect contact with the victim and to wear a GPS monitor.
The felony molestation charge carries a maximum penalty of life in prison. Gibbs is due back in court in early July.
Comments
25 Responses to “Local Man Arrested On Child Molestation Charges”
another thing, you people who call yourself friends & want to ask us personal questions, you need to quit calling…. this is an innocent child and it’s really none of your business the details.
To Mrs. J. Swift: If this were your child, you would not say, let’s see what happens in court….. You’d be ready to get him yourself! Been there, done that!
I HAVE KNOWN THIS MAN FOR A LONG TIME & I NEVER WOULD HAVE BELIEVED HIM CAPABLE OF THIS. THIS MAN SEEMS VERY KIND-HEARTED, HOWEVER, I DO BELIEVE THAT IT IS TRUE. I ALSO HAVE A DAUGHTER WHOM THIS EXACT SAME THING HAPPENED TO…. PARENTS, ALWAYS LISTEN TO YOUR CHILDREN…..THEY DON’T MAKE THIS STUFF UP AND YES IT DOES AFFECT THEM FOR THE REST OF THEIR LIVES…. THEY HAVE A SENSE OF WORTHLESSNESS, LOW SELF-ESTEEM & GUILT, EVEN THOUGH THIS WAS NOT THEIR FAULT. IF THE FAMILY DOES NOT SUPPORT THEM, THEN IT MAKES EVERYTHING WORSE ON THE CHILD. TIME DOES HEAL, SOMEWHAT. IN OUR CASE, WE HAD NO FAMILY SUPPORT. ABSOLUTELY NONE. TO OUR FAMILY, WE WERE LIARS AND WE HAD ULTERIOR MOTIVES FOR WHAT WE SAID. IT WAS AWEFUL! IF YOU DON’T WANT TO FACE IT & DEAL WITH IT, YOU ARE DOING THIS CHILD A WRONG ALL OVER AGAIN.. IT DOES NOT GO AWAY! IT IS TRUE, SO BELIEVE IT! I HOPE PERRY REACHES OUT TO GOD THROUGH ALL OF THIS!!! HE NEEDS HIM NOW, MORE THAN EVER BEFORE. THIS HAS ALWAYS BEEN HIS PARENTS PRAYER FOR HIM.
Many times I have questioned how this could happen to my child and why? Her Dad and I have always done everything to protect her and yet this happened. I don’t have those answers yet, but I would like to share some things that I have learned because of this. First, don’t assume that just because someone appears to be a good moral person that they can’t be a predator. They have deep rooted problems and they are most of the time good at hiding it. Second, don’t assume that your child will tell you if something like this happens, because more than likely they won’t. If they are old enough to know that what happened to them was wrong, they also feel that they did something bad. Even a young child feels shame and guilt and can be made to feel that it was their fault. They also fear telling their parents because of what they might do. Some are able to block the incident from their minds, and truly don’t remember it until years later, if ever. I understand that sometimes children are coaxed into saying these things like in a divorce situation etc., but if a child says this on their own, listen and believe them! Many times adults choose not to believe the kids, just because they don’t want to face the fact that someone they love could do this. I can’t imagine how a child who has been violated by a trusted adult must feel when they finally get the courage to tell it and find that other adults who they have also trusted, basically call them liars! Last get the child a good christian counselor. Even if, as in our case an actual rape did NOT occur, or if it only happened once, the psychological damage is done. Thank you for the blogs that have supported our daughter. Kids who have been victimized in this way need all the support they can get. Please continue to pray for her and our family.
ms jacqueline…consider this: youve only known him since the age of 16..assuming that he actually IS a pedophile he, most likely, would not have had demonstrated any inappropriate sexual advances toward you at all….that is because a true pedophile is primarily focused on “pre-pubescent” children to satisfy his/her sexual gratifications…..i certainly give a big “thank-you” to this young girl for her bravery in reporting this incident…i would hope, as well, that other young children, who may have had a similar experience, will draw courage from her example and tell a responsible adult…i do believe that the judge should have mandated that he have NO CONTACT w/any child (not just his alleged victim), should he be released on bond.
Kudos Bob! In some countries that is the punishment if they are allowed to live.
jacqueline swift,
how can you say that you know this man? You don’t know what is going on in the privacy of his own home. This is a child that came forward and told what happened to her. Thank God she did now he wont be able to destroy another child’s life. She will need conuseling to help her deal with what he did to her. Do you have any children? would you leave your child alone with him? I hope not! Dont be too trusting of people. Your children are depending on you to protect them.
do not condem this man until the facts are outit. U are all being very closed minded, what if you were being accussed if this. Not that it is not true, but look at the facts first.!This is a very small community and gossip loves to spread. Yes there were charges filed and yes he was arressted. Alot of you will say a child will never make this up but the facts remaines, look it up and
get the facts first. How many of you know this person and have been around this person your whole life. I have known Perry, atleast since I was 16, and now I am 37 years old. He was always a kind , caring person even when I was a teenager he never did anything inappropriate. I know this is a tight knit community and that is great but do not condemn the innnocent until the facts are out there.
Im sure Uncle and myself could make it so he never has the urge to harm a child again. See you there cuz.
how can someone be so sick… It’s horrible! I have a 4 yr old and I couldn’t imagine something like that happening to her. I hope he gets what he deserves!
It seems to me if the MADD(mothers against drunk drivers) could unite and form an organization like MAPS(mothers against perverts) then something might be done to curb this kind of activity. Until sentencing for these kind of people match the crime they have committed, we will never curb this kind of crime. I have said previously that castration would deter this kind of activity. I firmly believe this.
This is the sickest thing I have heard and to think he lives in my community.
It is not a lobotomy that he needs but a foot or so lower. He may think of doing the same again but he would not have the tool.
Concerned… as much as all of us would
like to do to predators-as you suggest– our constitution covers all of us for a fair trial by our peera and all due liberties UNTIL proven guilty.
i am very proud of this young lady.she has done a very brave thing that alot of people wouldnt have the courage to do.to the COUNTRY BOY FROM BRATT if the law lets him out ill see you at the visit.
I say deport them to another country with no hopes of ever returning to the USA. Some foriegn countries cut off your hand if you steal a loaf of bread. Maybe they would cut of something else in this guys case…………………..
i say give him to one of our country boy and let then deal with him he would get what he has coming for him
If this is true,and i’ve been told it is, this guy needs a good old COUNTRY BOY to come pay him a visit!!!!!!!
Lock M up And throw away the key.
We have a lot of problems in out country but this rates the #1 spot in my opinion. We have to keep our children safe! When the offenders only get a slap on the wrists and then are sent back out to repeat their crimes, what is that saying about us? Remember the old labotomys? I think something like that should be done to them. Something that wouldn’t make them not able to work and earn their own living, but something that would make them not even think about sex or violence. I’ll probably see someone post that that infringes on their rights – but I agree with ‘concerned’. After being found guilty of being a child sexual predator one time, they should not have any rights because this abomination is not curable.
here we go again. I will once again state my law:
First of all we know there is NO cure for this disease. Watched a show on convicted predators and they even said, ” No matter how long they are in prison/jail, they still have the urge.” So this is my law for these creeps.
Anyone who commits any type of sexual behavior on a child under the age of 17 should lose all his/her rights. That means no trial, no bond, no nothing. They are then put to death.
This would help over-crowding prisons and no more creeps hurting our children and no more being in our neighborhoods.
I know this sounds harsh, but I am so tired of hearing and reading about these creeps getting out on bond, very little time spent in jail just to get out and repeat it again.
These children will never be the same, years of counseling, it makes me so sad to know that someone would do this to a child, who has no way of fighting back and afraid to tell someone. It is just happening too much, everyday.
I have thought about it alot and this is the only thing I can think of that just might make these creeps stop and think about what they are doing. I know they don’t think about the consequences, they do think they won’t get caught and maybe even threaten the little ones they abuse, but it has to STOP now.
Children should be able to play and just be children. And these poor parents shouldn’t have to worry like they do now.
I remember as a child being told “never take candy from strangers”. Now parents have to be on their guard at all times.
And yes this is a brave girl who came forward and should be commended for her bravery. This girl is a great example for others. I hope she is doing well and know that for me anyway, will be thought of daily. Way to go, Sweetie!
I commend the young lady who did one of the hardest things she will ever do in her life and that is to come forward and speak up about what happened to her.Too often victims cannot find the courage to do this and the criminals walk free.As a survivor of sexual molestation myself it has taken me a life time to heal and the scars will always be there. This young lady has my admiration and my prayers.
I fear the outcome of this… when in Oklahoma a man raped a 4 yr old and was given a 1 year sentence .
as a survivor, my prayers to the family on a long road ahead for this young lady.
I have been though this situation with my daughter when she was 10 years old. The accused was convicted and only spent a couple of years in the county jail. He now walks the streets in our community as a convicted sex offender.
The people who prey on children are damaged goods and should be discarded from our walk of life.
this is so disgusting for someone in our own community to be so sick and do something so horrible to an innocent child. thank GOD it wasn’t any of my grandkids. if he is guilty hopefully he is punished to the fullest extent of the law.
this is so scary, —-when it hit’s close to the home/home of friend’s
get them all off the street’s
i know that escambia county sheriff deputies will do this to the best of their ability. they do a good job.