Former coach from Iowa who exploited 400 boys sentenced to 180 years



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On Thursday, a judge sentenced a former elite basketball coach to 180 years in prison for sexually exploiting hundreds of boys over the course of a decade. Greg Stephen, 43, confessed to secretly registering more than 400 players taking a shower during his travels and in the bathroom at his home. He also admitted to pretending to be a girl on social networks to urge boys to send him sexually explicit images of themselves and has been filmed while stroking boys while he was playing. they were sleeping. This conviction, handed down in federal court in Cedar Rapids, is one of the most important and most amazing lawsuits in Iowa for sports involving youth. During the sentencing hearing, US District Judge CJ Williams stated that Stephen was "a practical child sex abuser who" exploited, manipulated and abused children for nearly two years. decades, "adding that his actions were" horrible. "Stephen pleaded guilty in October 2018 to multiple charges of child sexual exploitation and pornography. judge to sentence him to a maximum of 180 years imprisonment, based on the nature of the offense, the harm caused by Stephen and the level of danger incurred. asked for 20 years in prison followed by 15 years of supervision.The abuse took place during Stephen's tenure as an elite basketball coach for the Iowa Barnstormers basketball program, which he founded in 2005. The Barnstormers are based in Nort h Liberty He operates youth basketball teams for athletes in grades four to twelve. Stephen "exploited boys who admired him as a coach and mentor," said US lawyer Marc Krickbaum. "He had power over these children and he exploited them.The punishment imposed today testifies to the enormity of his crimes." RELATED COVERAGE: Former youth basketball coach pleads guilty in federal courtThe lawsuit seeks to represent hundreds of people in the case of coaching mistreatment in IowaStephen was living in Monticello, where his former brother-in-law had found in the house a camera recording videos of boys taking a shower in a hotel. Investigators seized electronic devices containing 440 records with names of different boys, each containing at least one photo or explicit video of their genitals. The discovery shocked the basketball community in Iowa, where several elders Stephen's players got a scholarship to play at Division 1 University Basketball.

On Thursday, a judge sentenced a former elite basketball coach to 180 years in prison for sexually exploiting hundreds of boys over the course of a decade.

Greg Stephen, 43, confessed to secretly registering more than 400 players taking a shower during his travels and in the bathroom at his home. He also admitted to pretending to be a girl on social networks to urge boys to send him sexually explicit images of themselves and has been filmed while stroking boys while he was playing. they were sleeping.

This conviction, pronounced by a federal court in Cedar Rapids, is one of Iowa's most important and surprising lawsuits for sexual abuse involving young athletes.

At the sentencing hearing, US Judge CJ Williams stated that Stephen was "a sexual abuser on the heap of children" who "exploited, manipulated and abused children for nearly two years. decades, "adding that his actions were" horrific ".

Stephen pleaded guilty in October 2018 to multiple charges of child sexual exploitation and pornography.

Federal prosecutors had asked a judge to sentence him to a maximum term of 180 years of imprisonment, based on the nature of the offense, the harm caused by Stephen and the level of danger incurred.

Stephen's defense team had asked for 20 years in prison followed by 15 years of surveillance.

KCCI-TV

The abuse took place during Stephen's tenure as an elite basketball coach for the Iowa Barnstormers basketball program, which he founded in 2005.

The Barnstormers are based in North Liberty. It operates youth basketball teams for athletes in grades four to twelve.

Stephen "exploited boys who admired him as a coach and mentor," said US lawyer Marc Krickbaum. "He had power over these children and he exploited them.The punishment imposed today testifies to the enormity of his crimes."

RELATED COVERAGE:

Stephen lived in Monticello, where his former brother-in-law had found in the house a recording device containing a video of boys taking their shower in a hotel.

The investigators seized electronic devices containing 440 files with different boys' names, each containing at least one photo or explicit video of their genitals.

The discovery shocked the basketball community of Iowa, where several former Stephen players earned scholarships to play in Division 1 college basketball.

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