Gymnastics Coach Sentenced to 90 Years for Recording Girls
U.S. District Judge Kristi Johnson sentenced former gymnastics coach Sean Gardner to 90 years in prison Wednesday. It was the maximum possible sentence.
- 30 years for each of three child pornography production counts.
- 10 or more minors appeared in hidden-camera videos, investigators say.
- Camera hidden in Purvis, Mississippi, gym bathroom from December 2017 to April 2018.
- About 50 videos and 400 photos seized, per an FBI affidavit.
Why it matters: Gardner was an influential coach whose arrest raised questions about how the sport protects athletes. Lawsuits say USA Gymnastics and SafeSport heard concerns in 2017 but did not remove him for years.
- Gardner's former Mississippi boss said she reported his grooming behavior to USA Gymnastics in January 2018.
- SafeSport says Chow's coaches knew of misconduct allegations but failed to report them.
How 4 sources split on this story
Center coverage, 1 sources: The center reports the sentence and the oversight questions using the Associated Press account.
Left coverage, 2 sources: The left centers the hidden bathroom recordings and the survivors' accounts of missed warnings.
Right coverage, 1 sources: The right emphasizes the length of the 90-year sentence handed to the former coach.
What’s next: Gardner has not been charged over allegations from former students at Chow's Gymnastics in Iowa. Police said they would decide how to proceed after the federal case.
- Civil lawsuits naming Gardner and the sport's oversight bodies are pending.
- Will Iowa authorities file charges based on former students' abuse allegations?
- What did USA Gymnastics and SafeSport do with the warnings they reportedly received in 2017 and 2018?
