Sean Gardner, a former youth gymnastics coach, received a 90-year prison sentence for secretly recording young female gymnasts at a Mississippi gym. The sentencing by U.S. District Judge Kristi Johnson marks the maximum penalty for Gardner, who pled guilty to three federal counts of child pornography production. He admitted to installing a hidden camera in a bathroom at a gymnastics studio in Purvis, Mississippi, capturing videos of minors undressing between December 2017 and April 2018.
Gardner’s arrest by the FBI last summer brought significant attention to the issue of athlete protection within U.S. gymnastics. The case echoed the notorious Larry Nassar scandal, where Nassar was convicted for abusing over 265 female athletes, including Olympic gymnasts, over two decades.
Investigations revealed Gardner created inappropriate videos featuring at least ten minors, which were found on his computers when authorities probed allegations of abuse in Iowa. Former students at Chow’s Gymnastics and Dance Institute in West Des Moines, Iowa, accused Gardner of predatory behavior, filing police reports and civil lawsuits.
Despite the serious allegations, Gardner hasn’t faced charges in Iowa yet, as authorities await conclusions from the federal case. Several women implicated in the federal case claimed USA Gymnastics and the U.S. Center for SafeSport were aware of Gardner’s misconduct in 2017 but did not act to remove him.
Gardner’s suspension followed a sexual abuse accusation by a gymnast at Chow’s, leading to his eventual termination. SafeSport investigated but reported Chow and associates failed to report claims against Gardner, violating organizational policies. Legal actions remain pending against Gardner, USA Gymnastics, and Chow’s Gymnastics.
The Associated Press contributed to the reporting.
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