North Carolina gymnastics coach Stephen Maness is facing three charges of assault on a child under 12 and three charges of assault on a female. Subscribe. "There's a lot of trauma [and] PTSD. Stephen Maness, the man at the center of this case, once operated Bull City Gymnastics. Loving the Durham Daily? document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Coach Stephen Maness has been accused of sexually assaulting one youth gymnast repeatedly over an eight-year period, from 2012- 2020, and two others between 2015 and 2019. Durham Police originally charged him with three counts of taking indecent liberties and three counts of sexual battery. Judge Cynthia Sturges did not accept or reject the offer. Join Facebook to connect with Stephen Maness and others you may know. This week, however, a judge refused to accept the agreement as written. The suspension was issued by the U.S. Center for SafeSport, a Colorado-based nonprofit authorized by federal law to respond to allegations of sexual abuse and sexual misconduct in Olympic sports. The charges against Stephen Maness, who owns Bull City. "We don't believe it's inappropriate touching, Owen said. He made his first court appearance Monday. Check Out 5 New Homes For Sale In And Around The Durham Area. The national governing body for the sport told WRAL Stephen Maness, who owns Bull City Gymnastics in Durham, will not be allowed to have any contact with USA Gymnastics-affiliated athletes. We've launched The Durham Report, a free weekly digest of some of the top stories for and about Durham published in The News & Observer and The Herald-Sun. Chapelboro.comdoes not charge subscription fees. The plea includes a 120-day suspended sentence, meaning: No jail time, 5 years of supervised probation, A ban from gymnastics facilities and supervising children under 18, A no contact order with the victims or their families. Prevention Education, and Megans Law Community and Law Enforcement Support Services. He has been accused of assaulting three young girls who were enrolled there. Get Started. 15, 2023), Softball: Wakefield vs. Panther Creek (Apr. Real-time updates and all local stories you want right in the palm of your hand. I know being touched like that you are going to have trauma, and you might have a hard time finding relationships and connecting with people in a physical way, said Abigail Davis, a former gymnastic and close friend of the four accusers. For even more Orange-focused news and conversation, join our Facebook group "Chapel Hill Carrboro Chat.". If you or or your child were sexually abused, groomed, or assaulted by Stephen Moness or any other gymnastics teacher, please, contact Estey & Bomberger, LLP. The gym is still run by his estranged wife. My Feed. Chapelboro Stephen Maness, 41, was booked into jail and released on Dec. 15 following a court appearance in which his attorney asked a judge to enforce a plea offer that prosecutors have withdrawn. Sign up for our newsletter here. Sunny skies, cooler temps on tap this week, GOP lawmakers want to pay for students' private education. Sign up for our newsletter here. University Place The plea includes a 120-day suspended sentence, meaning: No jail time, 5 years of supervised probation, A ban from gymnastics facilities and supervising children under 18, A no contact order with the victims or their families. A former Durham gymnastics coach indicted for sex crimes against three young gymnasts has been offered a plea agreement -- that comes with a much lighter sentence. This week, however, a judge refused to accept the agreement as written. Ronkonkoma, NY 11779 Mannes previously owned Bull City Gymnastics on Neal Road in Durham, N.C. and ran Chapel Hill Gymnastics in Chapel Hill. A former Durham gymnastics coach indicted for sex crimes against three young gymnasts has been offered a plea agreement -- that comes with a much lighter sentence. Steven Maness in Durham, NC Steven Maness may also have lived outside of Durham, such as Chapel Hill, Raleigh and 2 other cities in North Carolina. My Feed. The views expressed here are the author's own. Stephen Maness, Bull City Gymnastics Durham gymnastics coach arrested on indecent liberties charges. Maness, 39, of Chapel Hill, was arrested last Tuesday and released after posting a $10,000 bond. We offer a free completely confidential consultation and handle all cases on a contingency fee basis. Stephen Maness, 39, of Chapel Hill was arrested Tuesday night. The News & Observer reached out Monday to Sturges and Manesss defense attorney for clarification, but neither has replied. Durham A former Triangle gymnastics coach charged with taking indecent liberties with three girls faces two new charges involving a fourth girl. The gym is still run by his estranged wife. The center, which also ordered Maness in February of 2021 not to have any unsupervised contact with minors, is investigating the charges against him. Court documents dont indicate where the interactions occurred. 2. The owner of a Durham gymnastics center was indicted Monday on three counts each of indecent liberties with a minor and sexual battery. As a firm, we are ready to represent survivors and their families to hold Maness accountable in civil court along with any public or private institutions that bear responsibility. We are here to support you in any way we can. Coopers office at odds? "We can't allow the state to walk away from a deal that my client has held up every single aspect that he agreed to hold up and then they are trying to change the game after-the-fact, Owen said. Maness faces three counts of felony indecent liberties with a child and three counts sexual battery. These can affect achievement in school, the future prospects of employment, and their day-to-day interactions with loved ones. Reports show one of the men accused of killing Deputy Ned Byrd escaped from the Piedmont Regional Jail in on Sunday with another inmate. Sometimes Stephen goes by various nicknames including Stephen R Maness and Stephen Ray Maness. Show Grayscale Images Browser Extension Disable NotificationsSet Location. Maness ran not only Bull City Gymnastics, but also Chapel Hill Gymnastics. 26, 2023), Softball: North Davidson vs. East Forsyth (Apr. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. In March, prosecutors presented a plea offer that reduced the felony charges to three counts each of misdemeanor assault on a child, assault on a female and child abuse. WRAL News tried to talking to the former coach at his home in Chapel Hill, but no one answered the door. ", Calling Chapel Hill, Carrboro and Hillsborough readers! The plea called for two consecutive sentences of 60 days each, which would have been suspended for the probation that prohibited Maness from having contact with the victims and gymnastics facilities. Maness is associated with Bull City Gymnastics. Baby walkers are made for children 4 months to 18 months old. Court documents accessed after Maness arrest detail three victims experiences, including one that claims abuse began in August 2012 and lasted until March 2020. Maness was deemed permanently ineligible for USA Gymnastics membership after an investigation and was recently offered a plea deal that: A judge, however, rejected the plea, requiring that Maness undergo sex offender counseling. Sturges raised concern that Maness would not have to register as a sex offender as part of the plea deal and referred the decision to another judge. Maness faces three counts of felony indecent liberties with a child and three counts sexual battery. After an investigation by the U.S. Center for SafeSport, Maness was deemed ineligible to be a member of USA Gymnastics. He is also no longer the owner of Bull City Gymnastics nor affiliated with the business as of February 2021. There was no indication in the documents as to whether any of the alleged incidents occurred at the gym. He took the case under advisement and said he would issue a decision outside of court. Stroud? "There's a lot of trauma [and] PTSD. Subscribe. Get access to our best features. March Kids' Night Out: 3/10 & 3/24 Summer 2023 Camp registration is now open! Stephen Maness, 41, is facing four counts each of taking indecent liberties with a child and sexual battery. WRAL News tried to talking to the former coach at his home in Chapel Hill, but no one answered the door. 5017 Neal Road Durham, NC 27705 P 919-383-3600 F 919-383-3610 Previous Next Upcoming Events View Calendar Announcements Registration Now Open for Spring Break Camps! Two other young girls say Maness assaulted them between 2015 and 2019. MANESS. Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. Copyright 2023 Chapelboro.com. On Dec. 15, Maness attorneys appeared in Durham County Superior Court and asked North Carolina Superior Court Judge John Dunlow to enforce the plea offered in March. Assistant District Attorney Brooks Stone argued that the plea was never formally accepted and potential additional victims have come forward since the last hearing. Stephen Maness, 40, of Chapel Hill, was charged in 2021 with three counts each of sexual battery and taking indecent liberties with a child, all felonies, related to his interactions with three. Authorities arrested Maness on February 16 oncharges of indecent liberties with a minor and sexual battery against three victims under the age of 16. Supervision failures persist. Previous to Stephen's current city of Chapel Hill, NC, Stephen Maness lived in Walkertown NC and Durham NC. Get your newsletter delivered straight to your inbox every Thursday at 11 a.m. featuring links to stories by our local journalists. Some of the offenses date back to 2012 and occurred until March 2020. After an investigation by the U.S. Center for SafeSport, Maness was deemed ineligible to be a member of USA Gymnastics. But a proposed plea agreement would reduce the six felonies to seven misdemeanors, including assault on a child, assaulting a female and misdemeanor child abuse. Steve Maness in North Carolina. Willets said that she cant provide additional information. The national governing body for the sport told WRAL Stephen Maness, who owns Bull City Gymnastics in Durham, will not be allowed to have anycontact with USA Gymnastics-affiliated athletes and events amid investigations into alleged criminal actions. The National Gymnastics Foundation also established the Athlete Assistance Fund to provide financial resources to gymnasts for counseling services if they suffered sexual abuse within the sport. Local. We know that Stephen's political affiliation is currently a registered Republican . He has been accused of assaulting three young girls who were. Want to post on Patch? Mannes previously owned Bull City Gymnastics on Neal Road in Durham, N.C. and ran Chapel Hill Gymnastics in Chapel Hill. According to USA Gymnastics, "a club may remain a member of USA Gymnastics despite the owners interim measure suspension if they name a new club administrator.". I know being touched like that you are going to have trauma, and you might have a hard time finding relationships and connecting with people in a physical way, said Abigail Davis, a former gymnastic and close friend of the four accusers. Find Stephen Maness's phone number, address, and email on Spokeo, the leading people search directory for contact information and public records. Stephen Maness, the man at the center of this case, once operated Bull City Gymnastics. Maness is expected to be back in court early next month, so he could learn his ultimate sentence in just a few weeks. The N.C. State Bar Association awarded her the Media & Law Award for Best Series in 2018 and 2020. Copyright 2023 by Capitol Broadcasting Company. The cities are Chapel Hill NC, Durham NC, Jackson MS, Pennington Gap VA, San Diego CA, and Tupelo MS. MANESS SPECIALTIES, INC. Chapelboro.com and WCHL, equal opportunity employers, are dedicated to providing broad outreach regarding job vacancies at the station. Details, Posted December 22, 2022 5:00 p.m. ESTUpdated January 10, 2023 6:59 p.m. EST. On Monday, Maness signed a plea arrangement that would have dismissed the felonies in exchange for him pleading guilty to three counts of misdemeanor child abuse. If you are unsure or suspect that your child was abused (by Stephen Maness or any other adult or juvenile), you should speak with the authorities and or a resource such as the National Sexual Assault Hotline. Stephen Maness is 41 years old and was born on 03/30/1981. There are 8 individuals that go by the name of Stephen Maness. But a proposed plea agreement would reduce the 6 felonies to 7 misdemeanors, including assault on a child, assaulting a female and misdemeanor child abuse. On Dec. 15, Maness attorneys appeared in Durham County Superior Court and asked North Carolina Superior Court Judge John Dunlow to enforce the plea offered in March. 1 pick of the 2023 NFL Draft, Highlights: Harnett Central scores early and often in rout of Terry Sanford, Highlights: Willow Spring defeats Cleveland, 3-2. 201 South Estes Drive, Suite C6a It has been really difficult waiting for a resolution especially for the young victims who are trusting in us as parents and the court system to ensure their offender makes reparations for his crimes and that every protection possible is put in place to protect the public from his offending again, Hambright said. Since then, prosecutors have withdrawn the plea deal entirely. US government tracking more than 650 potential UFO cases, Massive flames erupt from attic of Clayton home, Shaw University alumni divided over plans to update campus, build high-rise towers, WRAL Weather Alert Day: Timeline and maps for severe weather's arrival. A Durham gymnastics coach facing child sex crimes was offered a plea agreement. Calling Bull City readers! Assistant District Attorney Brooks Stone argued that the plea was never formally accepted and potential additional victims have come forward since the last hearing. Virginia Bridges covers criminal justice in the Triangle for The News & Observer and The Herald-Sun. Some are more age-specific, while others are designed to adapt as your little one grows. DURHAM, N.C. A former Durham gymnastics coach indicted for sex crimes against three young gymnasts has been offered a plea agreement that comes with a much lighter sentence. Extensive steps have taken place to comply with this plea agreement, to enter this plea agreement and [Maness] has held up his end of the bargain and the State needs to be held to their obligations under this plea.. US. He took the case under advisement and said he would issue a decision outside of court. While Bull City Gymnastics is still in operation, Maness is listed as ineligible by the U.S. Center for Safe-Sport and he's banned from coaching at any gym affiliated with USA Gymnastics. 1 draft pick, Injured Canes players draw comfort from fan's 'get well soon' flag, More pocket money: Bill would eliminate state income taxes for overtime, bonus pay, Car accident downtown Smithfield left several businesses in the dark, NC businesses stay mostly silent as state lawmakers push LGBTQ+ legislation, Editorial: N.C. 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Contact Us About The Company Profile For Maness Specialties, Inc. Refine Your Search Results All Filters 1 Donna Lynn Maness, 56 Resides in Bear Creek, NC Two other young girls say Maness assaulted them between 2015 and 2019. The new administrator was required to complete SafeSport training and undergo a background check and must abide by the terms of Maness' suspension. 20 Duke clinches third consecutive Top-15 series victory Sunday, Deadly crash in Clinton splits car in half, kills at least 2, First Republic Bank seized, sold to JPMorgan Chase, 'Smart Cities' on the rise, Morrisville leading the way, Deadly crash in Clinton kills 2, injures 1. North Carolina gymnastics coach Stephen Maness is facing three charges of assault on a child under 12 and three charges of assault on a female. Sarah Willets, a spokesperson for the Durham County District Attorneys Office, said the case was continued until April. Get access to our best features. Durham, N.C. A man who spent 15 years coaching elite gymnastics turned himself in to the Durham County Magistrates Office on a fourth charge of taking indecent liberties with a minor at Bull City Gymnastics. 26, 2023), Canes will start Round 2 at home against winner of Monday's Rangers-Devils, One of men linked to murder of Wake Deputy Ned Byrd has escaped from jail, Gold: Through it all, the Canes are still dancing, 50+ Triangle events to check out this May. The views expressed in this post are the author's own.