The former executive director of the Pigeon Key Foundation has been charged with using a PayPal account to siphon more than $20,000 from the nonprofit.

Jess Shows, who ran the museum and other operations from March 2007 to August 2008, was charged with 18 felony counts of theft and one felony count of grand theft. His last known address was Crystal River, Fla., according to a Monroe County Sheriff's Office warrant for his arrest.

Shows allegedly used the PayPal account to collect money from guests who stayed overnight at the historic Flagler railroad camp on an island off Marathon, the warrant says.

He opened the account without the board's permission, and none of the funds he collected from 15 customers -- totaling $21,043.20 -- were turned over to the Pigeon Key Foundation, according to an audit conducted by the accounting firm of Cruz Morato Associates.

He also kept a $9,000 deposit from the Learning Gate School for a field trip to Pigeon Key, the warrant says. Sean Craven, the school administrator, reportedly thought Shows was still associated with Pigeon Key when he gave him the money in January 2009. Shows allegedly refused to return the deposit, and Pigeon Key allowed the school group to stay at its facilities at the normal price minus the $9,000.

The warrant also mentions, but does not describe, "items that were purchased through the PayPal account." Only two of the 39 items purchased were in the possession of the foundation, according to the report.

"I can't comment on any possible warrants or wrongdoing by previous executive directors," Pigeon Key Foundation board member Jason Koler said. "What I do know is that the current staff has exceeded our expectations for this year and even more community events and marine education programs are planned for 2010."

mphelps@keysnews.com