MARIETTA, Ga. (BP)–A manhunt for a church martial arts instructor charged with molesting his young students ended Dec. 7 with his surrender to the FBI.
Gunther Fiek, 30, who taught tae kwon do lessons at Eastside Baptist Church in Marietta, Ga., turned himself in to FBI agents at a McDonald’s at 3 p.m. after daylong negotiations, police said. He was accompanied by his father and a lawyer, according to a report in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
The arrest was the culmination of a four-day search that began when Fiek skipped a meeting with Cobb County investigators Monday and disappeared.
The FBI aligned with Cobb County police to find Fiek when concerns emerged that he might flee to his native Peru. His return coincides with four additional warrants for child molestation issued Dec. 7, authorities said. Seven boys, ages 5 to 10, have told police Fiek molested them. And these charges may only be the beginning.
“They’re talking to about nine more potential victims today,” Cobb County police spokesman Brody Staud told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “We’ve got him now so there’s not a big hurry to get warrants out.”
Police initially suspected as many as 15 potential victims could file charges against Fiek. He taught martial arts to nearly 100 children at Eastside Baptist Church. Heightened security has been placed around the church and its school, where 850 children attend preschool through the eighth grade.
Counselors and therapists — as well as police — were on hand Dec.6 at Eastside Baptist Church to comfort families Fiek may have victimized. Nearly 80 parents came to the session.
Any future instructors hired for church enrichment courses — open to the entire community — will be under scrutiny, pastor Gerald Harris told the newspaper. Fiek was typically the only adult present during the tae kwon do lessons. Additional adult supervision is now required at all enrichment classes.
“We want to give everyone a feeling of safety,” Harris said.
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