$10M lawsuit accuses ex-cheer coach of abusing young girls
Ex-cheer coach hit with lawsuit
A $10 million lawsuit has been filed on behalf of several victims who say they were sexually assaulted by a former metro Atlanta cheer coach now facing multiple criminal charges.
LOGANVILLE, Ga. - A $10 million lawsuit has been filed on behalf of several victims who say they were sexually assaulted by a former metro Atlanta cheer coach now facing multiple criminal charges.
What we know:
The 117-page civil complaint accuses former coach Charles Moore of abusing multiple young girls over a period of years while working at several cheer gyms across metro Atlanta. It also claims his employers failed to protect the victims or report suspicious behavior to law enforcement.
Moore was arrested last year on charges that include sexual contact with a minor by a person in a position of trust, sexual exploitation of a minor, providing drugs to a minor, and child molestation.
What they're saying:
Attorney Ryan James, who represents the alleged victims, said the lawsuit lays out "graphic details" of what his clients endured.
"It’s all documented in black and white," James said. "This goes back sometime within the last 10 years, maybe more. These young ladies when they first became involved in some of these programs, they were 8-9 years old."
"We know that we have a handful upfront of those who have came forward and decided to speak in regards to this, but we suspect there’s quite a few more," James said.
What we don't know:
Several of the gyms listed in the lawsuit were contacted for comment but did not respond.
What's next:
The next step, according to James, is to serve all parties named in the lawsuit, who will then have a set amount of time to respond.
The Source: Attorney Ryan James, who represents the alleged victims, spoke with FOX 5's Larry Spruill for this report. Court filings also are a source. Previous FOX 5 Atlanta reporting was also used.