The Brief Former gymnastics coach Sean Gardner, 39, was sentenced to 90 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to three charges involving secretly recording minors undressing and using a bathroom at a Mississippi gym. Gardner recorded at least 10 minors between 2017 and 2018. He was suspended by the U.S. Center for SafeSport and fired by Chow's Gymnastics in 2022 following a sexual abuse allegation. The case has revived questions about whether USA Gymnastics and SafeSport adequately responded to warnings about Gardner.



A former youth gymnastics coach was sentenced to 90 years in federal prison Wednesday for secretly recording young female gymnasts undressing and using the bathroom at a Mississippi gym.

Gymnastics coach sentenced to prison for secretly recording girls

Big picture view:

U.S. District Judge Kristi Johnson handed down the maximum possible sentence to Sean Gardner, 39, ordering him to serve 30 years for each of three federal child pornography production charges to which he pleaded guilty.

The sentence is likely to keep Gardner behind bars for the rest of his life.

Sean Gardner admits to placing hidden camera in bathroom

The backstory:

Gardner admitted to placing a hidden camera in a bathroom at a gymnastics studio in Purvis, Mississippi, between December 2017 and April 2018.

Investigators said he recorded videos showing close-up images of at least 10 minors who were naked or undressing. Authorities recovered the videos from his computers years later while investigating allegations of sexual abuse involving gymnasts in Iowa.

Before his arrest, Gardner was a prominent figure in youth gymnastics. He coached at Chow's Gymnastics and Dance Institute in West Des Moines, Iowa, founded by renowned coach Liang  Chow  Qiao, who has helped develop Olympic champions. Gardner worked with several promising young gymnasts and directed an annual winter competition in Iowa that attracted hundreds of athletes.

SafeSport temporarily suspended Gardner in 2022 after a gymnast at Chow's alleged sexual abuse. Chow's fired him that year. Gardner was arrested last summer b

#fox2detroit   #CrimeInTheD ®