Jury Convicts Cheerleading Coach of Federal Sex Abuse Charges

West Coast Extreme All-Star Cheerleading Coach Convicted of Abusive Sexual Contact Involving Cheerleader while Traveling Home on Airplane from National Competition

Portland, Ore. – David Aaron Chatman, 32, Portland, was convicted by a federal jury today on two counts of abusive sexual contact aboard an aircraft. This crime carries a maximum penalty of two years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Chatman is scheduled to be sentenced on November 4, 2008 at 2:30 p.m. The defendant remains on pre-trial release status pending the sentencing date.

Chatman was a cheerleading coach with West Coast Extreme All-Star Cheerleaders in Tigard, Oregon. The sexual abuse occurred while he was escorting a group of approximately 20 cheerleaders back from The Worlds Cheerleading Championship, an international competition in Orlando, Florida on April 24, 2007. The victim, who was 16 years old when the abusive sexual contact occurred, was a cheerleader on the team. The abusive sexual contact, which involved the touching of breasts and genitals of the cheerleader occurred on an airplane flight from Chicago to Portland, Oregon. Because the abusive sexual contact occurred while travelling on an airplane, it is a violation of federal law.

United States Attorney Karin J. Immergut stated, “We are gratified that the jury carefully evaluated the evidence and found the defendant guilty. It was obviously extremely difficult for the victim in this case to relive the horror of what her cheerleading coach did to her over a year ago. But because of her strength in both reporting the incident, and testifying about it to a jury, the defendant will be held accountable for his illegal conduct.”

This case was investigated by the FBI's Innocent Images Task Force and the Hillsboro Oregon Police Department. This case was prosecuted by U.S Attorney Karin J. Immergut and Assistant United States Attorney Billy J. Williams.

 

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