Child-porn suspect found incompetent to stand trial

WINTER PARK, Fla. – Fleetwood Peeples Jr. did not appear in court Friday as an Orange County judge found him incompetent to stand trial for the third time.

The 77-year-old is facing several charges after investigators say they found hundreds of decades-old pornographic photos of children in a storage unit in 2014. Peeples was ruled incompetent twice, but the state can re-evaluate him every six to 12 months.

Judge Marc Lubet ruled that there was no change in Peeples condition, but by his next hearing the case could be dismissed. But the state could refile charges against Peeples after dismissal, officials said.

"The law is very clear, that unfortunately for any victims that may be involved in this case, the case would have to be dismissed," said Lubet.

Judge Lubet ordered that Peeples be re-evaluated, and scheduled another hearing on March 31.

"He would have to undergo another series of tests to determine if he were still incompetent or if there was any possibility to restore him to competency, and that is what the state is asking," said Angela Starke, public information officer at Office of State Attorney.

Peeples was granted a conditional release in December of 2014, and is currently in the care of a family member.