Florida Gymnastics Coach Pleads Guilty to Child Porn Charges

People trust their sports coaches. Young children and teens look up to these adult figures, who are supposed to serve as role models. Sometimes these people do end up being good role models but many fall short.

Unfortunately, a Florida woman fits the description of the latter. The 44-year-old woman, formerly from Navarre, faces decades in prison after producing and selling child sexual abuse material.

The woman, who worked as a gymnastics coach and social media content creator, recently pled guilty to multiple federal charges. She pled guilty to two counts of production of child pornography and one count each of conspiracy to produce and distribute child pornography, receipt of child pornography, possession of child pornography, and conspiracy to commit money laundering.

Between 2023 and 2025, the woman conspired with a man to produce and sell images of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. The man had sent her hundreds of images and videos depicting minors being sexually abused. Some of the material depicted the “sadistic sexual abuse of prepubescent children.” The woman then sold those images and videos to customers on various messaging applications, social media platforms, and subscription-based websites.

The woman received hundreds of thousands of dollars from selling the illegal material. As part of her punishment, she was required to pay restitution to victims.

On March 17, a judge issued an arrest warrant for both the man and the woman. The woman was arrested by federal agents in central Pennsylvania on March 19. She is still in police custody. Both the Logan Township Police and the Department of Homeland Security assisted in taking the woman into custody.

For child pornography production and conspiracy, the woman faces 15 to 30 years in prison. She faces up to 20 years for the child porn receipt and possession counts, and another 20 years for the money laundering conspiracy count.

The woman will also be required to register as a sex offender under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act. A judge will determine her sentence after considering federal sentencing guidelines and other factors. Her sentencing hearing is set for October 14.

Child porn crimes are coming with tougher penalties.

Contact a Legal Professional for Help

Child porn charges can come with harsh punishment, especially when federal charges apply. It is not uncommon for a person to spend decades in prison.

A Florida child pornography lawyer from the Law Offices of Gilbert A. Schaffnit can assist you with your case. Penalties for these crimes have increased dramatically over the past decade, but we will work to get you the best outcome possible. Schedule a consultation by calling (352) 505-1799 or filling out the online form.

Source:

cbsnews.com/miami/news/florida-gymnastics-coach-theresa-mitchell-child-porn-charges