Update 12/23/14 – Peeples was released from jail last week after being found incompetent to stand trial. At the request of his attorney, Peeples was evaluated by two psychologists and found incompetent for trial, the source reported. Detailed reports of the assessments were not made public.
The public defender’s office filed a motion in June questioning Peeples’ ability to participate in the criminal case. The court filing stated, “The defendant does not have the capacity to appreciate the charges, appreciate the possible penalties, understand the adversarial nature of the legal process, disclose ... facts pertinent to the proceedings, manifest appropriate courtroom behavior, and testify relevantly,” the source reported.
Peeples was released from the Orange County Jail where he had been held since February. He was not required to pay the $12,500 bail, according to the source. A follow-up competency evaluation is scheduled for July 13. Peeples will be evaluated every six to 12 months until he’s deemed competent to stand trial or five years has passed. A judge will then have the authority to dismiss the case.
Peeples is the son of Fleetwood "Fleet" Peeples Sr., a well-known swim instructor and celebrated member of the Winter Park, Fla., community. Following Peeples Jr.’s arrest, several people came forward with decades-old sexual-abuse claims against Peeples Sr., the source reported. Peeples Sr. died in 1993 at age 95.
Following the allegations, Winter Park City Commissioners voted unanimously to change the name of Fleet Peeples Park, a 23-acre lakefront spot, back to Lake Baldwin Park, its original name before honoring Peeples Sr. in 1985.
2/17/2014 – A 76-year-old Florida man has been charged with possessing and promoting child pornography after decades-old material was found inside a self-storage unit he rented. Police first saw evidence of explicit pictures when they responded to a call to assist Fleetwood D. Peeples Jr., who had fallen inside a unit at an Uncle Bob’s Self Storage property in Orlando.
Peeples required medical attention at a local hospital, but investigators did not detail the extent of his injury or how he fell. Police obtained a search warrant after assisting Peeples and uncovered several pictures of young children believed to be 5 to 12 years old performing sexual acts. "The images appeared old, indicating that the victims would be approximately 30 to 50 years old today," investigators said last week in a press release.
Peeples is being held in the Orange County Jail on $12,500 bail. He has no prior record, according to the source.
As part of their investigation, police are searching for anyone who may have been victimized by Peeples when they were children. Anyone with information connected to the case are encouraged to call the Orlando Police Department's Special Victim's Unit at 407.246.2963.
