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Former Prescott Valley gym owner accused of sexually abusing children
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Former Prescott Valley gym owner accused of sexually abusing children

PRESCOTT VALLEY, AZ (AZfamily) — The former owner of a Prescott Valley gym is facing multiple counts of dangerous crimes against a child, including allegations of sexual abuse of a child under 15.

Prosecutors charged Michael Craig Andrew, 47, after a 14-year-old girl accused him of sexual abuse in the summer. He was released on bail in the summer after being arrested in July when the initial charges were laid.

Those charges were dropped, but now he faces new charges.

He was arrested during a hearing Friday and is being held on $75,000 bail.

Andrew faces 15 charges, including sexual abuse, indecent exposure and child molestation. Court documents show the allegations date back to 2015. He pleaded not guilty.

In court Friday, prosecutors said Andrew and the victim’s father had been friends for more than 20 years. Andrew was accused of reaching out to his father after he was released on bail.

The judge said Friday that if he is released again, he cannot contact the victim or her family and must be supervised when spending time with anyone under 18.

Andrew was the co-owner of a local gym, Arizona Dreams Gymnastics Academy. Court documents allege some of the abuse occurred there.

Melanie Jayne said her 14-year-old daughter had been going to the gym for three years and it was a complete shock.

“We were all caught so off guard,” Jayne said. “Especially for my daughter, because she’s known him for a few years and when she first found out she kept saying, ‘But he’s such a nice guy.’ It was truly heartbreaking.”

After the allegations emerged, Andrew’s wife, Summer, Posted on Facebook Andrew no longer owned the gym. He denied that she was a trainer and claimed that he only opened the gym and worked in the front office.

Arizona Family has reached out to Summer but has yet to hear back.

But Jayne and other parents who contacted Arizona Family said there was more to it.

“He was there every week so he wasn’t just at the front desk,” Jayne said. “He would get on stage and talk to the kids. “There was also a parents’ night on the weekends and he was responsible for that.”

He said he is worried about the future of this gym in a sport where trust between kids and coaches is so important. Jayne said the gym is the only reputable gym in the city, forcing many families to stay there.

“Gymnastics is the friendly sport that it is,” Jayne said. “These girls wear leotards and do splits, and you’re there for four and a half, five hours, at least three to four days a week. Now that she trusted him, her innocence was taken away from her.”

Andrew will have a preliminary hearing on January 6 and a court date will be set.

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