The Brief

A 19-year-old former cheerleader is speaking out after her coach pleaded guilty to sexual exploitation and grooming.

Lily Penn says the abuse began when she was 15 years old and escalated from social media messages to physical intimacy.

Charles Moore III pleaded guilty this week to several charges involving the exploitation of a child.

GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. - A former cheerleader is sharing her story of survival after her former coach, Charles Moore III, pleaded guilty this week in Gwinnett County to grooming and sexual exploitation of a minor.

What we know

Lily Penn, now 19, says her ordeal began when she was a 15-year-old student in Moore's tumbling class.

According to Penn, Moore began communicating with her frequently on Snapchat and made efforts to get close to her family members.

The situation escalated when Moore began sending inappropriate texts and asking Penn to meet him for sexual encounters in his car at the cheer gym.

Despite Penn expressing hesitation and telling him she had a boyfriend, she says Moore became intimate with her.

Dig deeper

Moore, 33, coached at several cheer organizations across metro Atlanta and a high school in Walton County.

After pleading guilty, a Gwinnett County judge sentenced Moore to 25 years, with the first 12 years to be served in prison.

Authorities said Moore coached at multiple programs, including STAR Athletics Cheers and Tumbling in Barrow County, Atlanta Jayhawks in Gwinnett County and Walnut Grove High School in Walton County.

What we don't know

It is unclear if other victims have come forward to investigators since Moore's 2024 arrest.

What they're saying

Penn testified at Moore's plea hearing this week in Gwinnett County, describing the emotional toll of facing her abuser in court.

"Some days they’d bring him out in the courtroom, and I was just like, I am fine, like I can look at you, I’m not scared of you, whatever," Penn said. "And then other days they’d bring him out and I just like couldn’t help but cry because like how can somebody so close to me do that to me?"

Regarding the guilty plea, Penn said it provided a sense of relief. "Definitely that closure like hearing him say 'Yes, I did' because he knows that he did me wrong," she said. "I'm getting justice for myself and for the people who feel like they can't come forward."

What's next

Moore still faces additional charges in Barrow and Walton counties.

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Gwinnett cheer coach pleads guilty, sentenced in abuse case

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The Source

The information in this story was gathered from a FOX 5 interview with Lily Penn and prior FOX 5 reporting. This is a FOX 5 original report.