Utah Gymnastics Coach Sentenced to 10 Years’ Imprisonment for Child Sex Crimes

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Adam Richard Jacobs, 35, of Woods Cross, Utah, was sentenced to 120 months’ imprisonment for child exploitation crimes after he admitted to possessing a hidden camera to produce child sexual abuse material. In February 2025, Jacobs pleaded guilty to transportation of a minor with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity.

In addition to his term of imprisonment, a U.S. District Court Judge, sentenced Jacobs to a lifetime term of supervised release.

According to court documents and admissions made at Jacobs change of plea and sentencing hearings, beginning on a date unknown and continuing until March 2023, he transported a minor, in his role as a gymnastics coach, from Utah to other states including Florida and Texas. During this time, he placed a hidden camera in the minor’s hotel room and bathroom to produce child sexual abuse materials.

According to court documents, on two occasions, a USA Gymnastics World employee discovered a hidden camera in a unisex restroom at the facility and contacted police. A subsequent investigation recovered approximately 120 video files of victims in the restroom. Approximately 40 videos showed Jacobs setting up the cameras in his home and at USA Gymnastics World.

In conjunction with this prosecution, Jacobs was charged by the State of Utah in state court. Jacobs has entered a guilty plea in that case and sentencing is pending in the state case.  

The case was investigated jointly by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Woods Cross Police Department, the Utah Attorney General’s Office Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, Kaysville Police Department, Clearfield Police Department, the United States Secret Service, and the Davis County Attorney’s Office.

Special Assistant United States Attorney Carl Hollan and Assistant United States Attorney Carol A. Dain of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah prosecuted the case.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.