Bond denied for former Barrow County cheer coach charged with child sex abuse

BARROW COUNTY, Ga. — The ex-coach of a cheer team in Barrow County made his first court appearance Wednesday afternoon.

Charles Moore, 31, is charged with felony sexual exploitation of children. The alleged victim is a sixteen-year-old girl that Moore coached at the Star Athletics Gym in Winder.

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“He was grooming these young children to sexually exploit them later on after they turned a certain age. He would buy them alcohol, he would make threats to them if they didn’t send pictures through the internet, sexual pictures of them...they would lose their position on the team,” said Barrow County Sheriff Jud Smith.

Smith said deputies began investigating Moore after he was arrested in May by Loganville police on a similar charge.

“Our investigations began after Loganville made an arrest and he was out on bond and in the investigation, they advised us there may be victims in Barrow,” said Sheriff Smith.

Smith said his investigators searched Moore’s home before his arrest on Tuesday and found sexually explicit video and pictures on his phone.

He said the video showed the defendant having sex in his car with the 16-year-old victim in the parking lot of the gym.

He suspects there are other victims.

“We got some victims out there that may be scared to come forward because they may have sent him stuff. We want them to know they are not going to be in trouble if they come forward,” said Smith.

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The sheriff said the gym did a background check on Moore before he was hired and there was nothing in his record to raise concerns. He said the gym is cooperating in the ongoing investigation.

The gym had no comment.

Although Moore was released on bond following his May arrest, a judge declined to set bond during his appearance in Barrow County Magistrate court.

The alleged victim in the case was in the courtroom but made no statement.

Moore told the judge he did not have an attorney and would try to find one.

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