Former Coach Sentenced to 90 Years for Recording Minors

Sean Gardner, a former youth gymnastics coach, was sentenced to 90 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to three charges of producing child sexual abuse material. He admitted placing a hidden camera in a Mississippi gym bathroom between December 2017 and April 2018; investigators said recordings showed at least 10 minors undressed, and Gardner must also pay $59,000 in restitution and victim services. The case has renewed scrutiny of athlete protections in gymnastics: former students have accused Gardner of abusing his position in Iowa, and lawsuits allege oversight bodies were warned about his behavior, but he has not been charged in connection with those Iowa allegations.