Former Gymnastics Coach Sentenced to 90 Years in Federal Prison for Production of Child Sexual Abuse Material

Hattiesburg, MS - A former gymnastics coach was sentenced today in federal court to 90 years in prison for secretly videoing young gymnasts in the bathroom of a 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.

"Today's sentence sends an undeniable message: those who prey on our children will be found, prosecuted, and held accountable to the fullest extent of the law," said United States Attorney J.E. Baxter Kruger. "Today's sentence ensures that Gardner will spend the rest of his life paying the price for the devastating harm he caused."

"Sean Gardner committed horrific and unforgivable acts, manipulating and abusing children while betraying the profound trust their families placed in him. Today marks a decisive moment: justice has been delivered. His victims can take solace in knowing he will never again have the opportunity to harm another child. When any child is exploited, the FBI-working alongside our law enforcement partners-will marshal every resource, pursue every lead, and relentlessly ensure that predators are identified, stopped, and held fully accountable," said Special Agent in Charge Robert A. Eikhoff of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

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 prosecuted 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.