Former gymnastics coach sentenced to 90 years for child sexual abuse

On Wednesday, Sean Gardner, a 39-year-old former gymnastics coach from Iowa, was sentenced to 90 years in federal prison for secretly recording young female athletes in a restroom at a gym in Purvis, Mississippi. Gardner pleaded guilty in May 2026 to three federal charges related to the production of child sexual abuse material.

The investigation was initiated following reports to the U.S. Center for SafeSport regarding Gardner's inappropriate behavior. Federal authorities confirmed that he abused his position to film children as young as 12 while they were undressing or using the restroom. During a search of his property, law enforcement recovered electronic devices containing illegal audiovisual material dating back to 2017 and 2018, which allowed investigators to identify victims from both Mississippi and the Chow’s Gymnastics and Dance Institute in Iowa.

Beyond the federal conviction, Gardner faces ongoing scrutiny due to separate, broader allegations of sexual misconduct and abuse brought by former students. While this sentencing concludes the current federal criminal proceedings, the history of his actions continues to be reviewed as part of larger efforts to address safeguarding failures within youth gymnastics organizations.