Exclusive: Palmetto Bay Vice-Mayor Has Accused Sex Offender As Houseguest

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MIAMI (CBSMiami) -- Palmetto Bay Vice Mayor John Dubois lives in a mansion on Biscayne Bay that Zillow estimates to be worth $3.5 million. For more than two months the Vice Mayor has shared his mansion with a houseguest.

The houseguest is Stanley "Junior" Kowlessar, an accused sex offender. He allegedly broke into a Palmetto Bay home in February and sexually molested a nine year-old girl in her bedroom. She lived with her family in the house near the home where Junior Kowlessar he lived with his parents.

Click here to watch Gary Nelson's report. 

Junior Kowlessar's father, Stanley Kowlessar, Sr., is a good friend and political booster of Vice Mayor Dubois. His Junior, Kowlessar's defense has been that he suffers from post-traumatic stress syndrome and has an alcohol problem. His attorney has also attacked the credibility of the alleged victim and alleged conflicts in her father's testimony.

After his arrest, Junior Kowlessar was ordered to stay at least 500 feet away from his alleged victim. He had to find another place to stay.

Enter the vice mayor, who went to bat for Junior Kowlessar at a bond hearing in March.

Dubois told the judge "I don't believe...there is any possibility whatsoever that Junior did what he is accused of...I just don't believe that it happened."

Judge Cristina Miranda allowed Junior to move in with Dubois, wearing an ankle monitor at the home by the bay and allowed to go to and from work.

Dubois has steadfastly defended the son of his pal and political booster.

"He's a war veteran, combat veteran that deserves every benefit," Dubois told CBS4's Gary Nelson. "He's a good family friend, a U.S. Marine, and I'll do everything I can to help."

As Junior Kowlessar has awaited trial however, new allegations have surfaced. CBS4 News learned from sources close to the investigation, and court documents state, that since Junior Kowlessar's arrest in February additional alleged victims have been identified.

Investigators located two sisters, now grown, who previously lived in the same house as the girl in the February case. They have given statements claiming they were sexually abused by Junior Kowlessar beginning when he was 16-years old, and continuing until he was 19, an adult. The youngest sister was fourteen when the alleged abuse ended.

The parents confronted Kowlessar and his father at the time, approximately 12-years ago.

The mother told CBS4 News recently that Kowlessar admitted the abuse at the time.

"He admitted what he did," the mother said. "He apologized to me and my husband and said it would never happen again."

The mother said Kowlessar's parents pleaded with her and her husband not to report the alleged sexual assaults.

"Mr. Kowlessar asked us not to call the police, that he would get his son counseling, it would not happen again," she said.

The parents did not call police. The daughters who lived in the home - only after being recently questioned by detectives - told police and their parents that Junior's alleged assaults went beyond molestation, and included rape.

Their father told CBS4 on Sunday that "I regret every day that I didn't call the police when this originally happened. I should not have listened to my neighbors. I feel guilty about the little girl who was recently violated."

When questioned by CBS4 News, Vice Mayor Dubois was not concerned about the previous alleged abuses.

"I believe in innocent until proven guilty and I have every confidence the system will work this out, and that these charges will be rectified and dropped," DuBois told Nelson.

Dubois not only has given Junior Kowlessar shelter. The Palmetto Bay News reports he held a fundraiser at his home on the bay to raise money for Junior Kowlessar's defense.

The father of the recent alleged victim is livid.

"That sickens me. I can't believe a public official would do that," the father said. "It turns my stomach...that he would back somebody like that."

Dubois insists Junior has a place to stay as long as he likes.

"I'm totally supportive," Dubois said.

Judge Miranda will hold an emergency hearing Wednesday on the state's request that Kowlessar's bond be revoked in light of the additional alleged victims being identified.

Junior Kowlessar's attorney, Robert Amsel, has not returned repeated calls and messages. Stanley Kowlessar, Sr., the Vice Mayor's friend and political supporter, also has not responded to requests for comment.

Some Palmetto Bay residents question the judgement of the Vice Mayor providing housing to an accused pedophile.

"It's kind of scary. You've got to think morally," said resident Billy Comber Monday night outside the Village Council chambers. "It's just my opinion, but if you're housing somebody like that, you're almost condoning it."