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Glynn County band director charged with child molestation, police say
By Terry Dickson
Darien man had worked as band director in 3 systems, in youth ministry in 5 communities, police say A Darien man who was working until Tuesday as a middle school band director in Glynn County has been arrested on charges of child molestation and attempt to commit statutory rape, the Darien police said. The Darien Police Department initiated an investigation after receiving a call from someone who said they had been sexually assaulted between 2000 and 2001 in Loganville, Ga., while the suspect was working there as a Methodist youth minister, Darien police Lt. Nick Roundtree said in a prepared release. The 26-year-old man who said he is a victim said he contacted police in Darien, where he learned the man was living, because he heard the man was working as a band director at Jane Macon Middle School in Glynn County, Roundtree said. Related: Man who tipped police to child molestation suspect goes public Investigators contacted Rod Ellis, chief of Glynn County school police, and advised him of the victim's statement, the release said. The Darien police, McIntosh County Sheriff's Office and Glynn County school police joined their investigations and identified another possible sexual assault victim from the 1990s, Roundtree said. The three agencies arrested James Ray Clark Jr. of Darien Wednesday on charges of aggravated child molestation and criminal attempt to commit statutory rape, Roundtree said. He is being held in the McIntosh County jail as an investigation continues in an attempt to identify other potential victims, Roundtree said. Asked about statute of limitation on the earlier reports, Roundtree said the investigation turned up possible acts in McIntosh County that were more recent and that Clark is charged only in those. “As the investigation continued and we interviewed current and former students, we found students brave enough to share their experiences,’’ Roundtree said. RELATED Former Jacksonville 4th-grade teacher gets 40 years in prison for molesting student Database of registered Florida sexual offenders Clark resigned his job at Jane Macon late Tuesday afternoon, and the school board accepted his resignation in a meeting later that night, school system spokesman Jim Weidhaas said. School system officials confronted Clark with “creditable information” and he immediately resigned, Weidhaas said. The school system hired Clark Aug. 5, 2004, as Jane Macon’s band director, and he had also worked as assistant band director at Brunswick High School for the majority of his tenure, Weidhaas said. As part of the renewal of his teaching certificate, Clark underwent a criminal background check about a year ago, which “came back clean,’’ Weidhaas said. Staff members and counselors will be available at Jane Macon to answer questions, Weidhaas said. “Obviously, this is a situation that will cause some concern with parents,’’ but there is no evidence thus far of any criminal activity with Jane Macon students, Weidhaas said. Meanwhile, the school system is working to make sure that the Jane Macon band program continues unabated, he said. “We’re making sure that any scheduled activity goes forward,’’ Weidhaas said. “Classes will continue. The program will continue.” Over the past 25 years, Clark has worked as a band director in Glynn, McIntosh and Liberty counties and has been involved in youth ministry in McIntosh, Chatham and Glynn counties, Fort Myers and Loganville, Ga. Anyone with addition information is asked to contact Roundtree or investigator Tim Johnson at (912) 437-6644.
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