Sean Gardner, a 39-year-old former youth gymnastics coach, was sentenced to 90 years in federal prison on Wednesday by U.S. District Judge Kristi Johnson in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. The sentence brings a severe legal penalty to a case that rocked the sport after an FBI investigation into hidden cameras and abuse allegations.
Maximum Sentence Handed Down in Mississippi Federal Court
Judge Johnson ordered Gardner to serve 30 years in prison for each of the three federal child pornography production charges to which he pleaded guilty. The total 90-year term effectively amounts to life in prison for the former coach. Gardner was arrested in August 2025 following an investigation led by the FBI.
Court documents and federal investigators revealed that Gardner placed a hidden camera in a bathroom at a gymnastics studio in Purvis, Mississippi. He operated at the studio from December 2017 to April 2018, using the concealed device to record young female students undressing and using the restroom. Investigators recovered approximately 50 videos and 400 photos from Gardner’s residence, including close-up images of at least 10 minors.
Earlier Warnings and Oversight Scrutiny
The case has intensified scrutiny on gymnastics oversight bodies, including USA Gymnastics and the U.S. Center for SafeSport. Civil lawsuits and police reports indicate that sports authorities received warnings regarding Gardner’s behavior as early as 2017. A gym owner told USA Gymnastics about grooming behavior in January 2018.
Despite these warnings, Gardner moved to Iowa in 2018 to coach at Chow’s Gymnastics and Dance Institute in West Des Moines, a facility founded by Liang “Chow” Qiao. SafeSport ultimately suspended Gardner temporarily in 2022 after a Chow’s gymnast reported sexual abuse allegations, prompting the gym to fire him then. SafeSport later stated that Chow and other coaches failed to report misconduct allegations to the center as mandated by policy.
Ongoing Investigations and Legal Proceedings in Iowa
While Gardner received a 90-year federal sentence for crimes committed in Mississippi, additional allegations involving former students at Chow’s Gymnastics remain under review. Local law enforcement in Iowa stated they would wait to determine how to proceed after the federal case concludes.
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