A former UCSB gymnastics coach is accused of secretly photographing students while they were changing, but that's not all, investigators say they also found child porn on his computer.
Jeffrey Bettman coached a gymnastics team that used to be run at UCSB till about 2003 then moved to Oregon where he recently was arrested. When police in Medford knocked on Bettman's door and searched his home earlier this month they found something much more alarming.
"It was isolated to photoshoots with one, or two, or three students at a time there was a makeshift changing room, that was created and that's what was being recorded," says Detective Josh Nienminen, Oregon Tech Crimes Task Force.
The videos date back as early as 2003, along with child porn on Bettman's computer. Investigators believe there are as many as 70 victims that Bettman filmed during private shoots.
Before moving to Oregon, Bettman spent decades coaching gymnastics for a team called Spirals at UCSB.
"Arms up, back straight, shoulders down," says local gymnastics coach, Katey Eckenrode, as she coaches one of her students.
As for local gymnastics coach, Katey Eckenrode, she says it's the gym's responsibility to make sure students are safe.
"For our gym here, I make sure they do have a background check, they are finger printed, the need to be CPR certified," says Eckenrode.
"You have to do your homework and you have to make sure you are constantly supervising, it's not a one time thing it's an ongoing continuous thing that you have to do," says Lisa Morinini, a local gymnastics parent.
One of Bettman's recent employers, Southern Oregon Gymnastics Academy released a statement on Facebook saying the allegations come as a shock.
The statement reads: "Jeff Bettman was fired from SOGA on April 23, 2008 for reasons that were never disclosed, not even to him..we cannot speak about the charges against Mr. Bettman and how they pertain to SOGA at this time.." -Jill & Gene Hill, Owners/SOGA
Central Coast News did reach out to Spirals Gymnastics Organization to see if they had anything to say, but no one answered.
As of Monday evening, Jeffrey Bettman has been released on bail and the investigation is ongoing.
