Gymnastics coach accused of sexually assaulting student faces 2 new charges

ALLEGHENY COUNTY, Pa. — A gymnastics coach already facing charges of sexually assaulting a student at gyms in Allegheny and Butler counties is facing new charges, police said Wednesday.

Authorities said two new victims have come forward, claiming that Keith Callen sexually assaulted them. Callen and his lawyer, Jack Haller, learned of the new allegations Wednesday when he appeared in court to face his original charges.

“It is what it is. I can't say any more than that,” Haller said.

Two women, who are now in their late teens and early 20s, told authorities that they were 5 and 6 years old when Callen touched them inappropriately and took explicit photos of them between 2001 and 2002.

Police said they learned of the new allegations through their current investigation of Callen.%

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Callen, 45, of Sarver, was charged in May with sexually assaulting one of his female students beginning when she was 14, according to police paperwork.

The assaults took place at gymnastics facilities in Butler and Allegheny counties between 2013 and 2014, authorities said.

According to a criminal complaint obtained by Channel 11 News, Callen began coaching the girl at Jewart's Gymnastics in Hampton Township when she was 12. During that time, police said he gave the girl a necklace, which her parents returned to him.

Elaine Jewart, the owner of Jewart's Gymnastics, told Channel 11 News in May that she had her suspicions about Callen in 2012. She said he was ultimately fired because of his social media interactions with students.

“He was coaching for us, and he just got involved with social media with the kids and that's one of our staff policies that we don't like for the coaches to have a personal relationship with the kids,” she said.

Authorities said the sexual assaults began after Callen was fired from Jewart's Gymnastics.

Beginning in May 2013, Callen coached the girl at Trinity Gymnastics in Gibsonia. The girl told police that Callen sexually assaulted her more than once while he was helping her stretch. She said he also gave her a ring engraved with the words “Forever Love” as a Christmas present that year, according to the criminal complaint.

Callen is also accused of sexually assaulting the student while he was helping her stretch at Elite Athletic Center in Butler Township, the complaint said.

The girl told police that when she was 16, she and Callen had sex in a Jeep that was parked at a gas station in Adams Township. The criminal complaint also said Callen had sex with the girl in 2015 in the parking lot of the Home Depot in Butler when she was 17 years old.

Callen faces charges of sexual assault, indecent assault, unlawful contact with a minor and corruption of minors.

State police said they believe that there are more victims and asked anyone who recognizes Callen or has any information to contact them.

Cox Media Group