Former Bradenton sexual predator charged with abusing 4 girls

BRADENTON -- A former registered sex predator charged last month with raping a 5-year-old girl, faces new charges he sexually battered and molested three additional girls, ages 9, 10 and 11.

Gary Adam Meeks, 34, of Parrish, was arrested last month and charged with one count of capital sexual battery. The allegations came to light when investigators with the Manatee County Sheriff's Office were interviewing the 5-year-girl about an unrelated case.

Last week the State Attorney's Office formally filed that charge and added three additional charges: an additional count of capital sexual battery and two counts of lewd and lascivious molestation after the girl's 9-year-old sister came forward with similar allegations.

Meeks is also now facing three additional counts of capital sexual battery and two counts of lewd and lascivious molestation in a case stemming from 2014. In that case, Meeks is charged with molesting and sexually battering two sisters, ages 10 and 11 at the time of the abuse.

Meeks is being held without bond at the Manatee County jail.

On Tuesday afternoon, Meeks refused to appear in court to face charges of violation of probation he was

serving for scheme to defraud and fraudulent use of a credit card convictions prompted by his recent arrest. Circuit Judge Edward Nicholas ordered Meeks held without bond on his newest charges as well and appointed the Public Defender's Office to represent him.

There are still several more potential witnesses, according to sheriff's office spokesman Dave Bristow, and Meeks could face additional charges.

All four victims Meeks is charged with abusing were children known to Meeks.

On April 4, investigators spoke with the 9-year-old victim added to the initial case, according to an arrest report. The girl told investigators Meeks had been sexually abusing her at her home and once while taking her to school.

The girl recalled six separate incidents.

In the charges stemming from the 2014 investigation, Meeks is accused of abusing the two sisters, ages 10 and 11 at the time, when they were left alone in his care, according to a capias request. Meeks had voluntarily come into the sheriff's office for an interview and denied ever touching the girls in any inappropriate way.

Meeks was so adamant he said he would take a polygraph but the results were inconclusive because Meeks was not taking prescribed medications, according to the report. Detectives attempted multiple times in the months that followed to set up a time for Meeks to retake the polygraph test, but he always claimed his medications were not yet regulated.

Without enough evidence to make an arrest, the sheriff's office completed a capias request Dec. 15 and sent it to the State Attorney's Office to decide whether to file formal charges.

In 2013, Meeks was allowed to withdraw a previous plea of no contest to a charge of false imprisonment from 2003. As a result of that case, he registered as a sex offender. The victims in that case had been a 3-year-old boy and a 5-year-old girl.

He had initially been charged with sexual battery and lewd and lascivious molestation in that case. Formal charges were amended more than once and eventually reduced to false imprisonment.

The vacated plea was a part of an agreement Meeks entered where he agreed to testify against his co-defendant, his girlfriend at that time, who had taken part in the sexual battery.

Jessica De Leon, Herald law enforcement reporter, can be reached at 941-745-7049. You can follow her on Twitter @JDeLeon1012.

This story was originally published April 12, 2016 at 11:22 PM with the headline "Former Bradenton sexual predator charged with abusing 4 girls ."