Former Alvin martial arts, gymnastics coach faces child pornography charges

HOUSTON - A former martial arts and gymnastics instructor at Kuk Sool Won Dojo and Gulf Coast Gymnastics in Alvin has been charged with multiple child pornography crimes, according to U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.

Franklin Joseph Perkins, 40, is charged with the transportation, receipt, and possession of child pornography. A federal grand jury returned a three-count indictment against Perkins on Nov. 15.

According to the U.S. Attorney's Office, the investigation began when authorities found suspected child sexual abuse materials uploaded using an online account controlled by Perkins. After executing a federal search warrant at his residence, authorities discovered child sexual abuse content stored in a Google Drive account linked to Perkins. They also found non-pornographic images of underage minors in gymnastics clothing and screenshots of young girls’ social media accounts, officials state.

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Two women, now adults, have come forward during the investigation and reported allegations of sexual assault and inappropriate contact by Perkins when they were minors living in Alvin, the attorney's office says. The court heard that Perkins was their gymnastics instructor, according to the allegations.

U.S. Attorney Hamdani emphasized the seriousness of the allegations and called for assistance from the public. "We entrust our children to the care of instructors, coaches, and other authority figures. We cannot and will not take these kinds of allegations lightly," said Hamdani. "But, we also need your help. Our goal is not only to secure justice but to also make sure any and all possible victims have their voices heard. If you or anyone you know has been in contact with Franklin Perkins and have knowledge of any potential crime, please come forward."

Franklin Joseph Perkins, 40

Mark Dawson, special agent in charge for HSI Houston, highlighted the importance of identifying victims of child sexual exploitation. He emphasized that doing so not only aids law enforcement in investigating and convicting perpetrators but also helps connect victims and their families with necessary services for recovery.

"Identifying victims of child sexual exploitation not only helps law enforcement investigate and convict the individuals responsible for the abuse, but it also helps to connect the victims and their families with the services they need to recover," said Dawson. 

At a detention hearing on Wednesday, U.S. Magistrate Judge Andrew Edison determined that Perkins poses a danger to the community and ordered him into custody pending further criminal proceedings.

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If convicted, Perkins could face a minimum of five to 20 years in federal prison for transportation and receipt charges and up to 10 years for possessing child pornography. All counts carry a potential fine of $250,000, along with a $5,000 special assessment under the Justice for Trafficking Act, a maximum of a $35,000 special assessment under the Amy, Vicky, and Andy Child Pornography Victim Assistance Act, and mandatory restitution of no less than $3,000 per victim.

Law enforcement authorities have identified at least two alleged victims but suspect there may be more. Victims or individuals with information about potential others are urged to contact Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in Galveston at 409-443-0103.

Suspected victims of child sexual exploitation or missing children can be reported to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children by calling its toll-free 24-hour hotline at 1-800-THE-LOST.