BOERNE– The former Boerne Gymnastics coach who prosecutors and law enforcement say may have left a trail of childhood sexual assault victims across the globe was back behind bars last week.
Michael Spiller, 75, was arrested for a third time June 9 after violating several of his bond conditions, including coming within 500 yards of two San Antonio schools – The School of Science and James Madison Elementary School – and spending about 20 minutes at a Whataburger in San Antonio.
Spiller was booked twice on Nov. 18 on multiple third-degree felony charges of indecency with a child which stemmed from his time working as a summer camp leader at Boerne Gymnastics.
The terms of Spiller’s release from the Kendall County Jail stipulated he could not be within 500 yards of a school, nor could he visit fast food establishments.
In December, Kendall County District Attorney Nicole Bishop and Boerne Police Chief Steve Perez held a press conference detailing Spiller’s history.
The investigation began after a woman accused Spiller of displaying his genitals and wrongfully touching her in 2001 and 2002 at the camp Spiller hosted.
However, both Bishop and Perez said investigators suspect there may be more possible victims, considering the outcries date back as far as 1983 and as recent as 2002.
According to Perez, the complaints were 10 to 12 years old when the incidents they reported occurred.
According to a search warrant signed by 451st state District Judge Kirsten Cohoon, investigators visiting a residence where Spiller resides — owned by the BGC proprietor, according to court documents – retrieved four film rolls, multiple film negatives, multiple CDs and DVRs, two binders full of photo negatives, a VHS tape and a photo album from his 2001 camp.
According to the search warrant, the victim accused Spiller of recording girls staying in a rental in Boerne while attending the local camp and entering the girl’s cabin after repeatedly being told to leave.
However, the outcry last year to local law enforcement officers was not the first charge against Spiller in Boerne.
Boerne Communications Director Chris Shadrock confirmed there was an outcry made against Spiller last spring, but the accusation resulted in a Class C misdemeanor charge of offensive touch and was filed in the Boerne Municipal Court.
The evidence and charges were never submitted dot the Kendall County District Attorney’s Office for review.
The misdemeanor complaint filed with Boerne Municipal Judge Ed Phillips accuses Spiller of attempting to reach down the back of a young student.
Beyond his criminal indictments, Spiller is facing a civil suit in the 451st state District Court, and Dallas-based attorney Michelle Simpson Tuegel, of Simpson Tuegel Law Firm PLLC, said she is representing two accusers in another civil suit.
The civil attorney previously questioned by the Boerne Gymnastics owner, Lorna Spellman, didn’t notify parents of her complaint filed with SafeSport – a gymnastics oversight and regulation agency – last spring.
However, Spellman sent a letter to parents of her students Nov. 29 which read: “We are appalled and heartbroken at the knowledge someone we hired to work at BGC has a history of sexual misconduct that we were unaware of. Boerne Gymnastics will continue to be diligent in our vetting of anyone who has contact with your child while they are also involved with us.”
Anne Elrod Whitney published a blog post in June accusing Spiller of sexual misconduct.
“In 1983 and for a while after, the gymnastics center in Northwest Houston that I attended held sleepovers. These were fun extras, like the lock-ins a church youth group might have. But, beyond the normal kid fun of a sleepover with my friends, something else happened,” Whitney wrote.
She named Spiller as her coach, adding she “adored and whose attention and approval I craved,” then stated he violated her trust in the worst way.
Prosecutors are hoping to hold trial for Spiller’s charges before this summer is over.
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