Sentence for Former Iowa Girls Wrestling Coach Following Covert Fitting Room Tapings AMES, Iowa — Michael Leslie Jr., a former Iowa girls wrestling coach, is currently dealing with the fallout from his startling behavior that made headlines and shocked the local sports community.
The case, which revolved around covert recordings in a Target store changing room, has resulted in a sentence that highlights the grave moral and legal transgressions committed by a person who was once trusted to coach young athletes. A former Iowa girls wrestling coach is already popular and receiving a lot of attention from concerned citizens and sports fans.
Leslie, 45, of Maxwell, who had worked with the girls wrestling program at Nevada High School, was given a 30-day jail sentence this week in Story County Court after confessing to surreptitiously filming several women and a girl in a changing room at the Target store at 320 S. Duff Avenue in Ames.
How It Happened: The Target Fitting Room Incident
Court documents state that the first time police were notified was in February 2025 when a girl in a Target dressing room saw a phone camera slid under the door. Investigators subsequently verified that Leslie owned the device and that the phone contained multiple pictures of people changing without their permission.
According to the police, Leslie used the device to take pictures of several women, including several adult women and at least one juvenile victim, on various dates between February 15 and 24. This information greatly contributed to the seriousness of the charges against him.
Leslie ultimately entered a guilty plea to one count of aggravated misdemeanor invasion of privacy and one count of sexual exploitation of a minor. Other counts were dismissed as a result of the plea deal.
However, jail time wasn’t the end of the legal ramifications.
Lifetime Consequences: Sex Offender Registry and Probation
Leslie’s plea agreement includes a 30-day sentence as well as a listing on the Sex Offender Registry, a permanent record that will significantly restrict his future personal liberties. According to sources, he will also be placed on probation for five years after being released.
The sentencing judge made it apparent that the combination of multiple adults and a minor in recorded imagery, along with the invasion of privacy in a public place, called for severe penalties. Prosecutors pointed out that probation and registry requirements greatly increase the punitive reach, even though some claimed 30 days seemed short considering the intrusive behavior.
Sports Community Reaction: Wrestling Program Shocked
After Nevada established a girls program in collaboration with Collins-Maxwell and Colo-Nesco, Leslie joined the Nevada High School girls wrestling staff in 2022 as an assistant coach. He was a member of the wrestling team at Collins-Maxwell High School for seven years prior to that.
Steve Gray, the superintendent of the Nevada Community School District, confirmed that Leslie’s employment ended after the 2024–25 school year. Gray stressed that there is no proof that Leslie’s coaching responsibilities are connected to the incidents that were documented, and that school administrators cooperated with the investigation once it got underway.
Nevertheless, given the confidence that is placed in coaches at all levels, the revelation unnerved a lot of local wrestling fans, parents, and athletes. A number of former and present team members were shocked that someone with a connection to youth sports would violate their privacy in this way. “You never expect someone on the mat teaching discipline and respect to act this way off it,” said a parent who wished to remain anonymous. “It changes how you view safety, even with adults you think you can trust,” said another teammate.
What This Means for Youth Sports Integrity
Sentence for Former Iowa Girls Wrestling Coach Following
This case has sparked a larger discussion about screening practices and oversight in youth sports programs throughout Iowa and beyond, even though it has nothing to do with high school competition outcomes or match records. In order to improve safeguards for children and steer clear of similar scandals, sports organizations, ranging from high school associations to junior leagues, are currently reviewing their policies.
The wrestling community, particularly those involved in female-oriented sports, has advocated for the implementation of more stringent background checks.
