Former Cranford Gymnastics Coach Sexually Assaulted Gymnast, Prosecutor Says

Cranford, NJ - A former gymnastics coach who used to teach at Eastern Gymnastics Academy in Cranford was arrested for sexually assaulting one of his athletes many times over the course of two years — all while she was under 13 years old, authorities alleged Tuesday.

Thomas Waddell, 54, was working at the now-defunct Eastern Gymnastics Academy in 1989 when he first started coaching the victim. He was at the time a Cranford resident, according to Union County Assistant Prosecutor Michael Sheets, who is prosecuting the case. He now lives in Ridgewood,where he was arrested Friday at his home.

Waddell allegedly sexually assaulted the victim multiple times over the course of the next two years, both in multiple private homes and at the Perfect Balance Gymnastics Academy in Mays Landing, Atlantic County, where he started working in the early 1990s, according to Sheets.

He also gave the victim various pieces of jewelry and other items as gifts, telling her how much he cared for her, according to Sheets. The girl wrote a letter to the New Jersey State Police describing the crimes committed against her, and that's how police began their investigation.

Bail for Waddell was set at $75,000 with no cash allowance, and he was ordered not to contact the victim and to surrender his passport. He's facing up to 20 years in state prison if convicted. Anyone with information about Waddell’s activities is being urged to contact Special Victims Unit Detective Brian O'Malley at 908-220- 4323 or Cranford Police Detective Spencer Durkin at 908-709- 7346.

Image via Union County Prosecutor's Office: Thomas Waddell, 54, of Ridgewood, formally of Cranford