Former Gymnastics Coach Arrested on Child Pornography Charge Years After He Was First Accused of Sexual Abuse By Sean Neumann

Years after facing several sexual assault allegations from a number of young athletes, a former gymnastics coach was arrested in Iowa last week after investigators uncovered a trove of child pornography — some of which he created — at his home, according to reports.

Sean Gardner was arrested this week, according to the Des Moines Register, The Guardian and The Associated Press, which was first to report that the disgraced gymnastics coach appeared in court on Friday, Aug. 15.

Gardner, 38, faces a charge for producing child pornography materials after federal authorities raided his home and discovered hundreds of child pornography images, as well as batches of nude images showing girls as young as six years old, which appeared to be taken by Gardner using a hidden camera in a gymnasium bathroom where he worked as a coach, according to the AP.

SafeSport, the organization launched to oversee sexual assault prevention in U.S. Gymnastics in the wake of the Larry Nassar case, suspended Gardner from coaching gymnastics in 2022, three months after an athlete alleged he sexually assaulted her while he was her coach.

A SafeSport database reviewed by PEOPLE shows Gardner was suspended in July 2022 for “allegations of misconduct.”

The AP reported that Gardner was working as a gymnastics coach at Chow’s Gymnastics and Dance Institute in West Des Moines, Iowa, when he was accused of sexual assault by the former student, who alleged the coach used “inappropriate spotting techniques” in order to put his hands between her legs and touch her privates.

The young girl reportedly also provided the names of at least six other girls she said were abused by Gardner throughout his tenure as a coach at the Iowa gym, where the likes of Olympic gold medalists Shawn Johnson and Gabby Douglas once trained.

In the years after, two more former students made formal accusations against Gardner for sexual abuse, according to the AP. One alleged that the former coach required her to do stretches that exposed her genitals, fondled and inappropriately touched her during exercises, and also openly discussed his sex life with her. 

The outlet reported that Gardner’s abuse allegedly appeared to date back to his former job as a gymnastics coach at Jump’In Gymnastics in Purvis, Miss., before he moved to Iowa to join Chow’s gym, where he climbed the ranks and later became in charge of the school’s junior Olympics team. He was also named director of an annual event drawing more than 1,000 gymnasts to Iowa. 

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The FBI documents obtained by the AP, and requested Tuesday, Aug. 19, by PEOPLE, reportedly say the Jump’In Gymnastics gym’s owner identified the bathroom seen in Gardner’s hidden camera videos as the bathroom at the gym, which has since closed down.

PEOPLE also asked the FBI for comment Tuesday on Gardner’s arrest and charges but did not immediately receive a response. PEOPLE attempted to contact Gardner regarding his charges and allegations Tuesday.

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The AP reported that after Gardner was suspended from coaching gymnastics in 2022, he was able to land a job as a surgical technologist at MercyOne West Des Moines Medical Center in Des Moines, Iowa. The hospital told the outlet that Gardner, who was arrested and charged last week, is no longer an employee there.

The child pornography production charge Gardner faces carries a potential 30-year prison sentence, according to the AP.

If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, please contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) or go to rainn.org.