Park City Olympic gold medalist charged with child sex abuse

Parkite and Olympian Jimmy Shea Photo: Courtesy Summit County Sheriff

PARK CITY, Utah. (AP) — A gold medalist in skeleton at the 2002 Winter Olympics has been charged with sexual abuse of a child in Utah, authorities said.

James “Jimmy” Shea made his first court appearance Monday on one count of aggravated sexual abuse of a child and two counts of sexual battery. The incidents occurred in 2020, court documents show.

Shea’s attorney, Rudy Bautista, said Tuesday that the charges are a result of a family dispute and a misunderstanding about what his client contends was loving and affectionate touching.

Shea, 52, plans to plead not guilty to the charges that he thinks should be dropped, Bautista said. Shea won gold in the skeleton competition at the 2002 Salt Lake City Games and is a third-generation Olympian.