Olympic gold medalist James Shea charged in Utah with child sex abuse

Olympic gold medalist James “Jimmy” Shea has been arrested on suspicion of sexual abuse of a child, but his lawyer says the charges are unfounded.

According to a probable cause statement, officers were called to an area of unincorporated Summit County on March 6.

That visit followed a Children’s Justice Center interview in which a 12-year-old girl reported to a school counselor that she had been sexually abused.

The affidavit states the girl was “patted on her butt” in at least two incidents from last year and it made her uncomfortable.

The child also claims Shea rubbed her back under her clothes and reached around and put his hand on her breast.

The affidavit states that Shea said he had never touched the girl under her clothes.

Shea was arrested on suspicion of sexual abuse of a child, a second-degree felony, as well as two class A misdemeanor counts of sexual battery.

He was released on several conditions including avoiding contact with the girl.

His attorney, Rudy Bautista, told The Park Record the charges are unfounded and there is “absolutely no corroborating evidence.”

According to The Associated Press, Shea, 52, plans to plead not guilty, Bautista said.

Shea won a gold medal in skeleton during the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake.

This story was first published by KSTU.