Youth gymnastics coach Sean Gardner sentenced to 90 years over hidden-camera recordings

Former youth gymnastics coach Sean Gardner received a 90-year federal prison sentence for covertly filming young female students at a Mississippi gym. The case unsettled the sport and raised questions about athlete protection. US District Judge Kristi Johnson imposed three consecutive terms after Gardner admitted producing child pornography. The punishment is expected to keep Gardner, 39, in prison for life.

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Judge Kristi Johnson issued the toughest penalty allowed under the charges. The court ordered 30 years for each of three federal counts. Gardner had pleaded guilty to those child pornography production charges. Federal investigators and court records said the recordings showed minors while undressing and using a bathroom. The case followed an FBI arrest last summer.

Sean Gardner sentencing and federal charges

Gardner admitted placing a concealed camera inside a bathroom at a gymnastics studio in Purvis, Mississippi. Investigators said the filming occurred between December 2017 and April 2018. Authorities reported that the videos included close-up images of at least 10 minors nude or undressing. Officials later recovered the files from Gardner’s computers years after the recordings were made.

Investigators found the videos while reviewing claims linked to Iowa. Authorities were examining allegations that Gardner sexually abused gymnasts in Iowa. Several former students at Chows Gymnastics and Dance Institute in West Des Moines, Iowa, told police and filed civil suits. The filings alleged Gardner used a coaching role to target students.

USA Gymnastics and SafeSport scrutiny in Sean Gardner case

Gardner’s arrest, first reported by The Associated Press, renewed debate about oversight in US gymnastics. Lawyers for some women said USA Gymnastics and the U.S. Center for SafeSport were alerted in 2017. The lawyers alleged the reports described inappropriate behaviour by Gardner. The lawyers said no action removed Gardner from the sport for years.

SafeSport temporarily suspended Gardner in 2022 after a Chows gymnast alleged sexual abuse. Chows fired Gardner after that suspension. SafeSport also said its inquiry found other coaches knew of allegations. SafeSport said Liang Chow Qiao and others failed to report claims as required. Chows Gymnastics and Dance Institute was founded by Liang Chow Qiao.

Iowa allegations, lawsuits, and the Sean Gardner investigation

Gardner has not been charged over the Iowa allegations. Police said they would decide next steps after the federal case ends. Gardner coached young prospects and directed an annual winter meet in Iowa. The meet drew hundreds of gymnasts each year. The institute is linked to Liang Chow Qiao, known for training Olympic champions.

A judge removed SafeSport in May from two lawsuits tied to the Gardner matter. The court found SafeSport had immunity under federal law. However, several civil cases are still active. The pending lawsuits name Gardner, USA Gymnastics, and Chows Gymnastics. The federal sentence closed one major part of the case.

With inputs from PTI