Former Olympic Gymnastics Coach Arrested on Child Pornography Charges Amid Abuse Allegations
A former coach at Chow's Gymnastics, known for training Olympic medalists, faces federal child pornography and sexual abuse charges across Iowa and Mississippi, involving hidden cameras and young girls.
PBS NewsHourEx-coach at renowned gymnastics academy arrested by FBI years after abuse reports
Associated PressTakeaways from AP's reporting on coach accused of abuse at renowned US gymnastics academy
CBS NewsFormer coach at prominent U.S. gymnastics academy arrested by FBI years after reports of abuse
The GuardianEx-coach at renowned US gymnastics academy arrested on child sexual abuse images charge
Associated PressYears after abuse reports, ex-coach at renowned US gymnastics academy is arrested by FBI
Overview
Former gymnastics coach Gardner, who worked at Chow's Gymnastics in Iowa and Jump'In Gymnastics in Mississippi, is accused of sexually abusing girls and producing explicit images of minors.
The FBI arrested Gardner on federal child pornography charges in 2024, over three years after initial coaching suspensions and allegations of abuse surfaced.
Investigations uncovered numerous illicit photos and videos of young girls, aged 6 to 14, from hidden cameras in restrooms and during workouts at both gym locations.
Despite ongoing abuse allegations reported to SafeSport and police, Gardner secured a surgical technologist job at MercyOne West Des Moines Medical Center in May 2024.
SafeSport provisionally suspended Gardner in 2022, but the criminal investigation faced delays, highlighting challenges in resolving sex-abuse cases in Olympic sports.
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