GERARD PEPIN’S CRIME LINE
May 14, 2011 - Gerard Pepin allegedly commits sexual battery while employed by The Salvation Army in Daytona Beach, Florida as a Clinical Supervisor. The twenty-four year old resident reports him. He confesses to me, his wife, Deborah Jones, and later, police informant. Our home is searched by Daytona Beach Detectives, including Detective Chris Vahey. Computers and other items are removed as evidence.
June 12, 2014 – My ex-husband is arrested while working in Panama City, Florida. The charges are Two Counts of Sexual Battery and One Count of Sexual Misconduct. He insists he is innocent until the FL State Investigator, John Eckersen says to him, “I have been talking to your ex-wife”.
July 29, 2014 – Gerard Pepin is released from the Volusia County Branch Jail on bond awaiting trial. I had asked when he was arrested if I could to be notified if he is released. I learned of his release when Investigator Eckerson contacted me by phone regarding the event on October 18.
October 18, 2014 – Gerard Pepin is involved in a murder/suicide in Long County, Georgia resulting in his wife, Gina Garcia Pepin’s death. He sustains minor injuries and later is charged with First Degree Vehicular Homicide with More Charges pending as the investigation continues.
December 2014 – Georgia DA’s Office states a Grand Jury hearing is to take place in March 2015 to determine if there is enough evidence to take to trial. The DA states there is enough, so the hearing is just a formality. Additional charges include: Two Counts of Felony Murder, One Count of Aggravated Assault, One Count of Offering to Assisting in the Commission of a Suicide, Three Counts of Homicide by Vehicle, Nine Counts of OUI (drugs and alcohol) and Two Counts of Reckless Driving and Speeding.
March 2015 – Gerard Pepin’s lawyer request a psychological evaluation, which is now back logged. Hearings are scheduled and delayed while waiting for the evaluation. The DA’s Office states, “We do not have any notification the evaluation has been done”.
June 13, 2016 – No date is scheduled for a plea and motion calendar. This is for cases that have potential of going to trial or at a stage where a negotiated plea can be arranged. Again, scheduled hearings are made and postponed due to the back log of psych evaluation.
January 31, 2017 – Gerard Pepin pleads guilty to Vehicular Homicide and Offering to assist in the Commission of a Suicide for a fifteen-year sentence. A February 23, 2017 hearing is set for the impact statements and his sentencing. This will be held at 9 am in Ludowicij88, GA.
February 23, 2017 – Gerard Pepin’s lawyer states being ill. I travel from Maine to Georgia for the hearing and devastated due to the huge expense and no closure of this case. The hearing is rescheduled for March 28, 2017 at the same time and location.
March 28, 2017 – Gerard Pepin is sentenced to five years to serve and ten years’ probation with mental health assessments and treatment. He makes a speech stating he was very sorry and remorseful. I am there in spirit, hoping for justice for Gina Garcia Pepin.
September 26, 2017 - Gerard Pepin is extradited to the Volusia County Branch Jail in Daytona Beach, Florida, where he is booked. Pepin and his lawyer will work on his defense on the charges of 2 Counts of Felony Sexual Battery and 1 Count of Sexual Misdemeanor.
November 7, 2017 – The pre-trial hearing takes place at The S. James Foxman Justice Center in Daytona Beach. Judge Leah R. Case presides. His lawyer, David Glasser, requests more time to build Mr. Pepin’s defense. No date is set for the next hearing.
January 16, 2018 – The second pre-trial hearing takes place in Daytona Beach. Gerard enters a guilty plea. Since a sentencing agreement has not been reached, a plea date will be set for February 22, 2018 at 1:30pm which is later cancelled.
March 20, 2018 – The third pre-trial hearing takes place at 8:30 am. A recess is taken until 10am due to a computer glitch. The judge is unable to make decisions regarding plea bargains until the issue is resolved. Even after a side bar no agreement is reached. April 17, 2018 is set aside for the next hearing. Pepin’s lawyer was interviewed by Daytona Beach News Journal. Reporter, Frank Fernandez as why no decision was made and he stated, “Ask the DA.” He states off camera, “I plan to meet earlier than the scheduled date”.
April 4, 2018 - Pepin’s lawyer, David Glasser, requests this earlier date and thirty minutes is blocked so a resolution can be reached. The status conference will take place at 3:30pm at the same location with Judge Leah R. Case. I know the DA does not want Pepin to get off lightly which is evident by David Glasser’s comment regarding the last hearing, in my presence. There have been countless hearing cancelled, postpones and rescheduled in a quest to reach a decision the DA will accept. Bryan Shorstein, the spokesman for the State Attorney’s Office, said he did not have any of the particulars of the plea agreement. Pepin was a substance abuse counselor in Maine before he got in trouble with regulators there after he hired a former client to work for him, according to records.
April 4, 2018 After the status conference - The DA and the Defense presented an agreement to Hon. Leah R. Case. The terms were presented, the defense asked for time served in Georgia, 1245 days credit and 167 separate from GA. The judge asked what the charges and sentencing were. When she learned it was Homicide, serving 5 years she stated, “That is murder, I will not make a decision until I have all the paperwork from Georgia”. Another status conference will be set at a later date.
May 22, 2018 – At the hearing, the Defense Lawyer, David Glasser, asked for a continuance which Judge Leah R. Case granted. The new pre-trial hearing is set for June 19, 2018. The Judge stated at this hearing there needs to be an agreement or go to trial.
June 19, 2018 – At the pre-trial hearing, new evidence was submitted by the prosecution. The Defense asked for time to look over and build a defense. Judge Leah R. Case granted the request and set the hearing for August 10, 2018.
September 5, 2018 – Mike Willard with the DA’s office offered a plea deal of ten years in jail, concurrent with the GA sentence and must register as a sexual predator. Gerard Pepin declined the offer instead of his sentences completed in five years. State of Florida v. Gerard Pepin will take place on January 14, 2019.
January 17, 2019 – A jury of five women and one man deliberated more than two hours before finding the former clinical supervisor at the Salvation Army guilty of sexual battery under special circumstances, a first-degree felony punishable by up to 30 years in prison and sexual misconduct by a psychotherapist, a third-degree felony punishable by up to five years in prison. The sentencing hearing is on February 15, 2019 at 9am in the S. James Foxman Justice Center.
February 15, 2019 - At the sentencing hearing he apologized to his victims and stated that he became the person that he really did not like. He apologized to me for what he put us through. Judge Zambrano sentenced Gerard to 20 years in prison and gave him credit for 1,097 days served. There are 10 years’ probation from his crimes in Georgia. He is a designated sexual predator. My taped confession was the only piece of physical evidence. When I asked him if he and the woman did anything else but the oral sex, my ex-husband replied, “No, that was it.”