A former coach at a well-known youth gymnastics center in Iowa was arrested after investigators found a large amount of child pornography at his home, as reported by the New York Post. The arrest comes years after he was accused of sexually abusing several young athletes. Agents searched his home and found hundreds of images of children.
Who is Sean Gardner ?
Sean Gardner, 38, was taken into custody by the FBI for producing child pornography. The investigation began after reports of inappropriate contact with gymnasts at Chow’s Gymnastics and Dance Institute in West Des Moines, Iowa.
The FBI said Gardner “primarily targeted children” at gyms in Iowa, Mississippi, and Louisiana. He worked in those states for about ten years until 2014. Chow’s Gymnastics is known for training Olympic gold medalists Shawn Johnson and Gabby Douglas, as reported by AP.
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Gymnast’s 2022 report to SafeSport sparked investigation
Police in West Des Moines started investigating Gardner in March 2022. A gymnast reported his behavior to the US Center for SafeSport, which looks into sexual abuse in Olympic sports.
The gymnast said Gardner touched her inappropriately during practices, asked personal questions like whether she was sexually active, and called her and others names such as “idiots, sluts, and whores,” according to the Associated Press.
In July 2022, four months later, Gardner was suspended by SafeSport for “allegations of misconduct.” Chow’s also removed him from his coaching position.
At first, the gymnast chose not to press charges, and the case was paused. In April 2024, another gymnast came forward with new claims.
She said she began lessons with Gardner in 2019, when she was 11 or 12, and thought of him as a “father figure.” She later said he touched her inappropriately during exercises, had her perform stretches that made her uncomfortable, recorded her on his phone, and talked about his sex life.
About 16 months later, police got a warrant to search Gardner’s home.
Hidden camera footage of girls found in 2024 search
In May 2024, officers seized several electronic devices. They found hundreds of images and videos of girls between 6 and 14 years old. Many were nude, changing clothes, or using the bathroom. Investigators believe the footage came from a hidden camera at Jump’In Gymnastics in Purvis, Mississippi, and was recorded between 2017 and 2018.
Police also found handwritten notes between Gardner and former students during the search.
