An Edgecomb man was arrested by the Maine State Police March 7 for allegedly having sex with a juvenile female student of the karate school where he helped teach, according to a news release from Department of Public Safety spokesman Steve McCausland.
Brant Perkins, 53, was arrested by State Police Detective Joshua Birmingham at about 7 p.m. outside the Maine Isshinryu Karate Academy in Randolph, according to the release.
The alleged abuse took place at Perkins home in Edgecomb, McCausland said in a telephone conversation.
Perkins was not an employee of the academy, but sometimes did assist in teaching classes, said Glen Fitzmaurice, the owner of the Randolph location.
“He was not an employee, he is no longer affiliated with us, and he will not be back,” Fitzmaurice said.
Rob Pushard, a co-founder of Maine Isshinryu Karate Academies, said the different academies are affiliated by name but are independently owned.
A new Maine Isshinryu Karate Academy is slated to open soon in Edgecomb in the former bagel shop near the corner of Eddy Road and Route 1. Clem Bailey, of Pittston, will operate the new dojo and said he barely knew Perkins and was not planning to employ him there.
“I’ve heard of the name and I’ve seen him in passing, but I haven’t trained with him,” Bailey said. “I’m shocked, I really am.”
Bailey said he moved back to Maine from Florida to improve the lives of his children, and the new karate studio was a way to help further that goal.
“To hear all this stuff, it’s very devastating to me,” he said.
The alleged victim was a teenage girl who was one of Perkins’ students and the alleged abuse was reported to the State Police earlier this week, according to the release.
Perkins is being held at Two Bridges Regional Jail and bail is set at $2500, according to Two Bridges Sgt. Kyle Canada.
