A former director of sports medicine at San Jose State University has been given two years in federal prison for unlawfully touching female athletes under the guise of medical treatment, the U.S. Department of Justice said Tuesday.
Scott Shaw pleaded guilty in August to touching the breasts and buttocks of four students against their will and without any legitimate medical reason between 2017 and 2020.
In addition to being the director of sports medicine, Shaw was the head athletic trainer at SJSU, where he treated injuries sustained by student athletes at the school.
Shaw admitted that he used his power to abuse the athletes and that his conduct was not the result of "mistake, carelessness, or accident," prosecutors said.
“Scott Shaw was entrusted to care for athletes in the California State University system," said U.S. Attorney Patrick Robbins in a statement released Tuesday. "Instead, he used his power over female athletes to violate their civil rights by sexually groping them without their consent and without any medical justification."
FBI Special Agent In Charge Robert Tripp praised the athletes for coming forward.
"Shaw's violation of that relationship is reprehensible, as was reflected in his sentence," said Tripp in a statement. "I commend the student athletes for their moral courage in coming forward to challenge Shaw. Their bravery prevented Shaw from committing further harm to others."
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Shaw officially pleaded guilty to two counts of deprivation of rights under color of law. In addition to the prison sentence, he will have to pay a fine of $15,000 and a hearing will take place on Feb. 6 to determine issues related to restitution, prosecutors said.
Shaw has been ordered to surrender on or before March 6 to begin serving his prison term.
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