GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — The former gymnastics coach accused of perpetrating multiple acts of sexual abuse over several years was in court Thursday, as victims took the stand to share their experiences.
Shannon Guay, who apparently used to go by the first name Jake, was present in Kent County’s 63rd District Court Thursday morning for what is called a preliminary hearing.
A preliminary hearing is intended for the court to hear relevant evidence in a case, to determine if there is enough probable cause to move forward.
Prosecutors have filed a total of five different felony cases this year against Guay in relation to alleged sexual assaults.
He is facing a total of 11 counts of criminal sexual conduct in the first degree, and eight counts of criminal sexual conduct in the second degree.
If convicted on any of the first-degree charges, Guay could face life in prison.
Judge Jeffrey J. O’Hara determined there was enough probable cause to move the cases against Guay forward.
All five cases were bound over to Circuit Court.
A number of victims and witnesses spoke on the stand Thursday about their experiences with the former coach.
The first witness spoke about Guay allegedly grabbing her crotch in the past.
She also spoke about Guay hugging her on multiple occasions, in which he would allegedly place his hands over her breasts.
The second female witness spoke about Guay sexually assaulting her on a number of occasions beginning when she was around six years old.
She said that Guay would touch her almost every time they came in contact with each other over a five-year period.
The third witness spoke about being touched by Guay when she was about 10 years old.
She spoke about an instance in a hot tub with Guay, where he placed his mouth on her swimsuit bottoms, making a “chewing” motion.
The next witness spoke about being sexually assaulted while her older sister was dating Guay.
“He was an adult I trusted,” she said on the stand.
She alleges that Guay would place his hands into her underwear, and force her to touch him inappropriately.
Guay is also alleged to have taken a bath with the girl while she was a child.
The next witness once called Guay a coach.
She spoke about Guay being a more “hands-on” coach than others she had, speaking about him coming into the locker room with the girls sometimes.
She said she stopped attending a gym that Guay was at after an instance of him touching her thigh over her leotard.
The final witness to take the stand Thursday was a woman connected to Guay through her brother.
She spoke of the former coach becoming integrated into her at-home family life as a nine or ten-year-old.
“I almost thought of him as an older brother,” she said.
“My mom wasn't super caring, and I think he kind of stepped into that role, as someone I could trust.”
She alleges that Guay started his abuse by tickling her and brushing her hand.
“I don't remember how exactly it started happening, but he would touch me a lot. It started out just over the clothes. As I got older, it started to be under the clothes, and more personal touching,” she explained.
She also said she believed that Guay was taking pictures of her in the shower on multiple occasions.
