Image sources: Sean Michael Gardner, courtesy of Des Moines, Iowa, Polk County Sheriff’s Office, as published by Associated Press. Google Street View of Chow’s Gymnastics & Dance, © Google, via Google Maps.
A Federal Case Exposing Chilling Patterns of Abuse
On August 14, 2025, the FBI arrested former gymnastics coach Sean Michael Gardner, 38, on federal charges of producing child sexual abuse material, a crime that carries a potential sentence of up to 30 years in prison. According to the criminal complaint, Gardner is accused of abusing young athletes at Chow’s Gymnastics & Dance in West Des Moines, IA, and secretly recording children at his prior job in Mississippi. This case reflects similar systemic failures to those seen in the Larry Nassar sexual abuse case: a trusted authority exploiting athletes while going unchecked for years.
The Federal Criminal Complaint
The criminal complaint, filed in the Southern District of Mississippi, charges Gardner under 18 U.S.C. § 2251(a) with the “production of visual depictions of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct.” The federal affidavit, sworn by FBI Special Agent Hillary Ladner, details allegations from three young athletes at Chow’s Gymnastics and the forensic review that uncovered disturbing images Gardner collected.
According to the complaint, “In March 2022, a report was made to the U.S. Center for SafeSport (SafeSport) concerning sexual misconduct by coach Sean Gardner (Gardner) of Chow’s Gymnastics.”
It alleged that in September 2018, Gardner began using “inappropriate spotting techniques” that went beyond safe coaching and consisted of sexual contact with a minor gymnast.
The gymnast recalled that “Gardner would ask the girls if they were sexually active, and call them idiots, sluts, and whores.” Her account indicates that the abuse lasted until November 2020, when she left Chow’s. She also “provided the names of six other potential victims of Gardner.”
In August 2022, a second gymnast from Chow’s reported to SafeSport that Gardner had sexually and physically abused her. In May 2019, Gardner allegedly “dragged her across the carpet by one leg, jerking her into a pike position.” The incident left her with painful carpet burns.
According to the criminal complaint, SafeSport forwarded its incident reports to the West Des Moines Police Department, and by May 2022, police had been advised that multiple gymnasts at Chow’s had either reported abuse by Gardner or had been identified as possible victims.
A third athlete was interviewed in 2024 by police, offering a detailed account that showed how Gardner cultivated trust and used it to exploit her. She enrolled in Chow’s in August 2015, and in 2018, Gardner began coaching her. She said he was a “‘father figure’” at first, encouraging her to confide in him about “‘anything.’”
However, in private training sessions with Gardner, her boundaries were repeatedly violated. Gardner would touch her “‘butt’ and hamstrings while pushing down on her uncomfortably.” She believed the stretches he had her do were “inappropriate and unnecessary,” and she suspected he was secretly filming her during those sessions.
She alleged that Gardner touched her inappropriately, discussed his sex life with her and other young athletes, and asked girls sexual questions.
These accounts illustrate how Gardner allegedly leveraged his position of trust to normalize and conceal abusive behavior.
Gardner’s Arrest
In May 2025, the West Des Moines Police executed a search warrant at Gardner’s home and seized multiple electronic devices. A forensic review revealed more than 400 images and over 50 videos of minors, many of which appeared to have been secretly recorded with a hidden camera placed in a restroom at Jump’In Gymnastics in Purvis, Mississippi, where Gardner previously coached. The footage showed children, some as young as six, using the toilet or changing clothes, often while wearing leotards.
Based on this evidence, an arrest warrant was issued on August 14, 2025. Gardner was taken into custody and, according to CBS News, made his initial court appearance in Des Moines the next day, August 15.
According to AP News, “Gardner is being detained at the Polk County Jail in Des Moines and will be transported to Mississippi to face the charge there, a spokesperson for the U.S. Marshals Service said. It’s unclear why the case took so long to investigate and also when the FBI…got involved in the case.”
The FBI is looking for more victims of Gardner. If you have any relevant information, please access this form.
Gardner’s Coaching History Across Multiple States
Gardner coached at Jump’In Gymnastics and Tumbling in Purvis, Mississippi, from 2014 to 2018, where investigators uncovered hidden camera recordings of children in a restroom. The gym has now relocated to Hattiesburg, Mississippi. Gardner then worked at Chow’s Gymnastics and Dance in West Des Moines from 2018 to 2022, where multiple athletes reported sexual abuse.
The FBI has also reported that Gardner previously coached at Athletes In Motion in Prairieville, Louisiana, from 2004 to 2014. While this employment was not included in the federal complaint, it demonstrates that Gardner spent nearly two decades in positions of trust with children across three states.
Delays and a Dormant Investigation
SafeSport, established by Congress, was created to prevent abuse in Olympic and Paralympic sports, with the power to suspend or ban coaches and athletes. It has faced criticism for conducting investigations that are slow and secretive, and for imposing bans that often do little to prevent accused abusers from moving into other positions of trust.
Chow’s Gymnastics, the training ground for several Olympic champions, said it first received notice from SafeSport on April 19, 2022, when SafeSport imposed “temporary measures” on Gardner. Two days later, USA Gymnastics confirmed those restrictions. Chow’s said they removed Gardner from his head coach role and put an interim coach in place. They also said that they terminated his employment when SafeSport “escalated the restrictions to a Temporary Suspension” on July 28, 2022.
Despite these steps, the criminal investigation hit a standstill. According to AP News, “Police records show a detective told SafeSport to urge the alleged victims to file criminal complaints.” Only one mother came forward, saying that “her daughter did not want to pursue criminal charges.” (AP News)
As a result, the investigation was suspended and Gardner remained free.
Employment at MercyOne
Even after SafeSport suspended Gardner from gymnastics in 2022, the limited scope of its ban allowed him to secure a new role as a surgical technologist at MercyOne West Des Moines Medical Center in May 2024, where he assisted with patients during and after operations. He is no longer employed at the hospital.
That someone under investigation for sexual abuse could move so easily into another position of trust highlights the systemic failures that continue to endanger vulnerable people.
Survivor’s Voice: “I Needed to Speak Out”
One of the survivors connected to the case is Finley Weldon, now 18 and preparing to compete for Iowa State University’s Cyclones gymnastics team. She was the athlete who came forward in April 2024, providing the detailed statement that revived the investigation after it had been dormant since 2022.
Weldon explained to the Associated Press that Gardner manipulated “her in order to gain her trust.” He then used that trust to abuse her.
She chose to go public so others would not suffer the same fate. Weldon told the Associated Press, “‘I felt like I needed to speak out to stop it from happening to other little girls, so they didn’t have to go through what I went through…I knew it would just be a continuous cycle if nobody did.’”
Potential Civil Liability
After Gardner’s arrest, Chow’s Gymnastics told parents it had run background checks, followed athlete protection policies, and acted once SafeSport alerted them in 2022. The gym stressed that Gardner’s federal charge stems from misconduct in Mississippi, not Iowa.
But the federal complaint pointed to abuse at Chow’s as early as 2018, and Gardner remained in a trusted coaching role for years afterward. One victim’s mother told police she was considering legal action against Chow’s, emphasizing that the gym was informed of complaints yet failed to intervene. (CBS)
From a civil liability perspective, Chow’s cannot rely on SafeSport as its shield. As a premier training center, it had its own duty to supervise staff, act on red flags, and protect athletes. Its failure to do so may amount to negligence, leaving the gym exposed to civil claims despite the narrative in its parent letter.
Survivors’ Civil Legal Options
While the federal case against Gardner addresses criminal charges, civil law gives survivors another path to justice. Civil claims can help cover the costs of care and recovery, while also holding organizations accountable and driving stronger safeguards.
At Andreozzi + Foote, we represent sexual abuse survivors nationwide, fighting to hold institutions accountable for failing to protect those in their care. Survivors harmed at Chow’s Gymnastics, Jump’In Gymnastics, or other facilities where Gardner worked may have the right to pursue civil action.
Families who trusted these gyms deserve answers and accountability. Civil action can provide justice, compensation, and reforms to help protect future athletes.
Contact Us
If you or your child were harmed by Sean Gardner or another coach, you are not alone. We know it may feel overwhelming or frightening to speak out, but you do not have to navigate this by yourself. Our compassionate team of trauma-informed attorneys is ready to listen.
Fill out a form or reach out to us at info@vca.law if you are ready to take the first step toward understanding your rights and exploring options for justice and healing.
All consultations are strictly confidential.
