Former Gymnastics Coach Pleads Guilty to Production of Child Sexual Abuse Material

Hattiesburg, MS - A former gymnastics coach pleaded guilty Monday in federal court to three counts of production of child sexual abuse material after he secretly videotaped gymnasts in the bathroom of the gym where he coached.

According to court documents and statements made in court, Sean Gardner, 39, of West Des Moines, Iowa, used his access to children as a gymnastics coach in Purvis, Mississippi to surreptitiously record minors changing clothes and using the bathroom. The investigation began after reports were made to the U.S. Center for SafeSport alleging that Gardner, while working as a gymnastics coach, engaged in inappropriate conduct involving minor athletes. SafeSport forwarded the allegations to law enforcement, which led to a joint investigation by local and federal authorities.

During the execution of a search warrant at Gardner's Iowa residence, law enforcement seized multiple electronic devices. A forensic examination revealed numerous images and videos depicting minor children - some under the age of 12 - in states of undress that appeared to have been recorded using a concealed camera. Investigators determined that several of the recordings were made in a restroom at a gym in Purvis, Mississippi, where Gardner previously worked. The evidence included multiple files dated as early as 2017 and 2018, and investigators identified several of the minors depicted as former gymnastics students.

If you are a parent of a child that has at any point been under the instruction of Gardner, the FBI has set up a website to provide you with resources and further information about this case: https://forms.fbi.gov/seeking-victim-information-in-sean-michael-gardner-investigation.

"This is one of the most reprehensible crimes prosecuted by my office," said United States Attorney J.E. Baxter Kruger. "Coach Sean Gardner exploited his position to abuse and exploit those children he was entrusted to mentor and care for. Justice demands that we relentlessly pursue these predators, and we remain resolute in our commitment to protecting our children. I commend the tireless work of our prosecutors and law enforcement partners, whose dedication ensured that this defendant was brought to justice and that the victims' voices were heard."

Special Agent in Charge of the FBI's Jackson Field Office, Robert A. Eikhoff, remarked, "Every child deserves to feel safe and never be victimized by someone they trust. Sean Gardner's reprehensible acts of manipulating and abusing children, and betraying their parents' trust, have been brought to an end. When children are harmed, the FBI, together with our law enforcement partners, will employ every resource available to ensure perpetrators are held accountable."

Gardner pleaded guilty to three counts of production of child sexual abuse material. He is scheduled to be sentenced on October 14, 2026, and faces a maximum penalty of 90 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the West Des Moines Police Department.

Assistant United States Attorneys Kimberly Purdie and Lee Smith are prosecuting the case.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorney's Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.