FSU libraries security chief pleads not guilty to theft of nearly 5,000 comic books

The man charged in early February with stealing nearly 5,000 comic books from the Florida State University libraries filed a plea of not guilty this week.

Todd Peak, 38, worked at FSU libraries as the director of security and facilities since 2013, according to his LinkedIn. Police have accused him of stealing from the Robert M. Ervin Jr. Collection and selling to private buyers and comic book stores in Leon County.

Previous coverage:

• Head of security at FSU's Strozier Library charged with theft of thousands of rare comics

• FSU confirms theft of nearly 5,000 rare comics, science fiction digests, from Strozier

Ervin Jr. is a Tallahassee attorney. The collection was donated to the libraries by Ervin’s parents in 1987. The comics in the collection span more than 50 years of publication, starting in 1920, according to FSU libraries, with most from 1950-70.

The losses totaled between $250,000 and $500,000, according to court records. The issues come from publishers that include DC Comics and Marvel Comics.

Between March 17, 2020 and Feb. 10 of last year, 4,996 comic books went missing from the FSU Special Collections & Archives at Strozier Library. FSU confirmed the theft in September 2021 and published a list of the missing comics.

At the time, FSU officials said they hoped the list would lead to the recovery of the comics.

Peak is represented by Tallahassee attorney Tim Jansen, records show.

Marco Rubero is an intern with the Florida Student NewsWatch, a program in the Florida Center for Government Accountability.

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This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Florida State University employee enters plea in comic book heist case