Guilty Martial Arts Teacher: Thomas Franklin Ary
Age: 60 Prison: 19 years State: Georgia Victim(s): 1 Victim Gender: Girl Victim Age: 8 Martial Arts School Name: Pak's Karate Institute Owner: No Year Accused: 2013 Year Guilty: 2015 |
http://jacksonville.com/news/crime/2015-09-17/story/former-kingsland-karate-instructor-gets-19-years-molestation-young
jacksonville.com
Former Kingsland karate instructor gets 19 years in molestation of young student
4:58pm
A former Kingsland karate instructor convicted of molesting a young female student will serve 19 years in prison and 21 years on probation, the district attorney said.
An eight-woman, four-man jury found Thomas Franklin Ary, 60, guilty Aug. 27 of three charges of molesting a student while she had been in summer camp at Pak’s Karate Studio in Kingsland.
The girl was 8 and 9 in 2012 and 2103 when Ary touched her genitals with his hand and once rubbed his genitals against hers in a bathroom at the studio, according to evidence at the trial.
The girl testified the contact was through her clothing.
Superior Court Judge Stephen G. Scarlett, who imposed the prison term, also banished Ary from Camden and the other four counties in the Brunswick Judicial Circuit upon his release and ordered him to register as a sex offender.
“We’re certainly satisfied with the results and it’s a just sentence under the circumstances,’’ District Attorney Jackie Johnson said.
Assistant District District Attorney Katie Gropper said she had asked Scarlett for the 19-year sentence.
The victim’s mother made a statement before sentencing, but Ary let his lawyer, Richard Allen, speak for him.
Allen said that Ary wishes he could take responsibility for the molestation, but he didn’t know what happened because he was on a lot of medication at the time.
He did not raise that explanation during the defense portion of the two-day trial, but instead Allen argued the victim and another girl who said Ary also touched her were not telling the truth.
Terry Dickson: (912) 264-0405
jacksonville.com
Former Kingsland karate instructor gets 19 years in molestation of young student
4:58pm
A former Kingsland karate instructor convicted of molesting a young female student will serve 19 years in prison and 21 years on probation, the district attorney said.
An eight-woman, four-man jury found Thomas Franklin Ary, 60, guilty Aug. 27 of three charges of molesting a student while she had been in summer camp at Pak’s Karate Studio in Kingsland.
The girl was 8 and 9 in 2012 and 2103 when Ary touched her genitals with his hand and once rubbed his genitals against hers in a bathroom at the studio, according to evidence at the trial.
The girl testified the contact was through her clothing.
Superior Court Judge Stephen G. Scarlett, who imposed the prison term, also banished Ary from Camden and the other four counties in the Brunswick Judicial Circuit upon his release and ordered him to register as a sex offender.
“We’re certainly satisfied with the results and it’s a just sentence under the circumstances,’’ District Attorney Jackie Johnson said.
Assistant District District Attorney Katie Gropper said she had asked Scarlett for the 19-year sentence.
The victim’s mother made a statement before sentencing, but Ary let his lawyer, Richard Allen, speak for him.
Allen said that Ary wishes he could take responsibility for the molestation, but he didn’t know what happened because he was on a lot of medication at the time.
He did not raise that explanation during the defense portion of the two-day trial, but instead Allen argued the victim and another girl who said Ary also touched her were not telling the truth.
Terry Dickson: (912) 264-0405
http://jacksonville.com/news/crime/2015-08-27/story/camden-county-jury-finds-karate-instructor-guilty-3-child-molestation
jacksonville.com
Camden County jury finds karate instructor guilty on 3 child molestation charges in retrial
10:04pm
WOODBINE | A Camden County jury found karate instructor Thomas Franklin Ary guilty Thursday in his retrial on three charges of the child molestation of a young student.
The eight-woman, four-man jury began deliberating about 11 a.m. and returned about 4 p.m. with its verdict of guilty on all counts of molesting a young girl who was 8 and 9 during two summer camps at Pak's Karate Institute in Kingsland where Ary was a long-time instructor.
District Attorney Jackie Johnson said Superior Court Judge Stephen G. Scarlett ordered to jail and set Ary's sentencing for Sept. 17.
He faces five to 20 years in prison.
Assistant District Attorney Katie Gropper, who prosecuted the case, met with the victims family after the verdict.
"They're very pleased. They're very happy to be able to put this behind them and have some justice and closure,'' Gropper said.
In a video with an investigator, the girl said Ary fondled her three times as she sat on his lap while watching movies. She testified Ary had also taken her into a bathroom and rubbed his genitals against hers. She said that he had once reached inside her pants, but that the contact was always through clothing.
A jury failed to reach a verdict on the charges in 2014 and acquitted Ary of two counts of the sexual molestation of a young female relative.
Defense lawyer Richard Allen described the 60-year-old Ary’s accuser as a “3-foot-tall Merle Streep,’’ and said she could turn the tears on and off.
Allen asserted that Ary has taught more than 1,000 young students over the years and was like a grandfather to them. Ary acknowledged in testifying in his defense Wednesday that he held children on his lap.
Allen asked the jury, “What’s he supposed to do? Push them on the floor?"
Allen stopped short of calling the young accuser a liar, but said that children often tell untruths because of their vivid imaginations.
“Kids lie. Kids fabricate. Kids fabricate. Kids will lie. It’s part of their job description,’’ he said.
When it came her time to respond, Gropper appeared angry as she challenged Allen’s characterizations of two young accusers, including another young Paks’ student who said Ary placed his hand between her legs and wiggled his fingers.
Allen wants the jury to believe the victim is conniving, vindictive and spiteful, Gropper said.
“Do you think this is fun for her? Dragging her through this process?” Gropper asked the jury.
The youngster is being punished for doing what all parents want their children to do, tell when they’ve been molested, Gropper said.
She said that Ary was someone the young student had trusted, and who gave her a special nickname, tied her karate belt for her, showed her a pistol he kept in his truck, gave her candy and said, “Come sit on my lap.”
She noted that the young girl and another, who testified to a fondling incident for which Ary has not yet been charged, both gave consistently detailed accounts. The did that even though they hadn’t seen each other in a year to keep their stories straight, Gropper said.
“If it’s a lie, they’re not going to be able to keep the details straight,’’ she said of witnesses so young.
She asserted that the children told the truth and that Ary did not.
“The only person with anything to gain by lying in this case is Thomas Ary,’’ Gropper said.
The closing arguments took about an hour, and, after a short recess, Scarlett charged the jury on the applicable law and sent them into deliberations about 11 a.m.
The jury was selected Monday and evidence took all day Tuesday and a couple of hours Wednesday.
Terry Dickson: (912) 264-0405
jacksonville.com
Camden County jury finds karate instructor guilty on 3 child molestation charges in retrial
10:04pm
WOODBINE | A Camden County jury found karate instructor Thomas Franklin Ary guilty Thursday in his retrial on three charges of the child molestation of a young student.
The eight-woman, four-man jury began deliberating about 11 a.m. and returned about 4 p.m. with its verdict of guilty on all counts of molesting a young girl who was 8 and 9 during two summer camps at Pak's Karate Institute in Kingsland where Ary was a long-time instructor.
District Attorney Jackie Johnson said Superior Court Judge Stephen G. Scarlett ordered to jail and set Ary's sentencing for Sept. 17.
He faces five to 20 years in prison.
Assistant District Attorney Katie Gropper, who prosecuted the case, met with the victims family after the verdict.
"They're very pleased. They're very happy to be able to put this behind them and have some justice and closure,'' Gropper said.
In a video with an investigator, the girl said Ary fondled her three times as she sat on his lap while watching movies. She testified Ary had also taken her into a bathroom and rubbed his genitals against hers. She said that he had once reached inside her pants, but that the contact was always through clothing.
A jury failed to reach a verdict on the charges in 2014 and acquitted Ary of two counts of the sexual molestation of a young female relative.
Defense lawyer Richard Allen described the 60-year-old Ary’s accuser as a “3-foot-tall Merle Streep,’’ and said she could turn the tears on and off.
Allen asserted that Ary has taught more than 1,000 young students over the years and was like a grandfather to them. Ary acknowledged in testifying in his defense Wednesday that he held children on his lap.
Allen asked the jury, “What’s he supposed to do? Push them on the floor?"
Allen stopped short of calling the young accuser a liar, but said that children often tell untruths because of their vivid imaginations.
“Kids lie. Kids fabricate. Kids fabricate. Kids will lie. It’s part of their job description,’’ he said.
When it came her time to respond, Gropper appeared angry as she challenged Allen’s characterizations of two young accusers, including another young Paks’ student who said Ary placed his hand between her legs and wiggled his fingers.
Allen wants the jury to believe the victim is conniving, vindictive and spiteful, Gropper said.
“Do you think this is fun for her? Dragging her through this process?” Gropper asked the jury.
The youngster is being punished for doing what all parents want their children to do, tell when they’ve been molested, Gropper said.
She said that Ary was someone the young student had trusted, and who gave her a special nickname, tied her karate belt for her, showed her a pistol he kept in his truck, gave her candy and said, “Come sit on my lap.”
She noted that the young girl and another, who testified to a fondling incident for which Ary has not yet been charged, both gave consistently detailed accounts. The did that even though they hadn’t seen each other in a year to keep their stories straight, Gropper said.
“If it’s a lie, they’re not going to be able to keep the details straight,’’ she said of witnesses so young.
She asserted that the children told the truth and that Ary did not.
“The only person with anything to gain by lying in this case is Thomas Ary,’’ Gropper said.
The closing arguments took about an hour, and, after a short recess, Scarlett charged the jury on the applicable law and sent them into deliberations about 11 a.m.
The jury was selected Monday and evidence took all day Tuesday and a couple of hours Wednesday.
Terry Dickson: (912) 264-0405
http://www.news4jax.com/news/georgia-news/5-child-molestation-counts-added-against-karate-instructor/-/475792/22797902/-/8oawdfz/-/index.html
5 child molestation counts added against karate instructor
Author: Kent Justice, Weekend anchor, reporter, [email protected]
Published On: Nov 04 2013 03:55:40 PM EST Updated On: Oct 25 2013 11:10:00 PM EDT
Thomas Ary
Camden County Sheriff's Office booking photo of Thomas Ary.
KINGSLAND, Ga. -
A Camden County karate instructor is now facing five additional counts of child molestation.
5 child molestation counts added against karate instructor
Author: Kent Justice, Weekend anchor, reporter, [email protected]
Published On: Nov 04 2013 03:55:40 PM EST Updated On: Oct 25 2013 11:10:00 PM EDT
Thomas Ary
Camden County Sheriff's Office booking photo of Thomas Ary.
KINGSLAND, Ga. -
A Camden County karate instructor is now facing five additional counts of child molestation.