A 61-year-old Finksburg man who hired a convicted child sex offender to work in his day care center continues to operate a day care center and after-school programs in elementary schools in Carroll County.
In 2001, William Cunningham hired James A. Gregory, 61, of Baltimore, to work at the Westminster day care center Rainbows and Reasons, which is now closed. At that time, Gregory was a fugitive wanted on parole violation in Washington state, according to court records obtained by The Examiner. Gregory had been sentenced to nearly four years in prison but was paroled and placed under court supervision, records state. He had been missing from supervision in Washington state since April 1993, according to court records.
Court documents show that Gregory also lived in a halfway house in Baltimore owned by Cunningham.
Gregory worked part time on computers and doing “odd jobs” at Rainbows and Reasons, according to court records. Under a plea agreement, he will receive a 15-year prison sentence in February with all but three years suspended for sexually abusing a 3-year-old girl at Rainbows and Reasons from 2002-03. He also will be required to register on the sex offender list and will be on probation for five years.
“I would not put my child in a day care center [Cunningham] would run,” said David Daggett, Carroll?s deputy state?s attorney.
Cunningham was unavailable for comment. A message was left for the director of Playtime in Westminster, who did return calls to The Examiner.
Day care center owners are required by law to perform background checks of employees.
Everyone who works with children at Playtime has had a criminal background check, said a teacher who refused to give her name.
“Parents have had concerns, but we have reassured them that we don?t run a loose ship here,” she said.
Cunningham rarely visits the Old Westminster Pike facility, the teacher said.
“I find this very disturbing,” said Robin Pierson, co-founder and director of ABC Care Inc., which offers before- and after-school programs at 12 sites in Carroll County and one in Baltimore County.
Pierson said she sent a letter a few years ago to the Carroll County Board of Education alerting them of Cunningham?s involvement in after-school programs in leased space at Sandymount, Manchester, Hampstead and Spring Garden elementary schools.
“[School leaders] changed the lease to legally protect themselves,” she said. “I?ve done all I can.”
Daggett said no criminal charges can be brought against Cunningham for hiring Gregory, but he called the hiring “negligent.”
