A registered sex offender was arrested last week while taking photographs of children at a 14-and-under swim meet in Ohio.
James F. Renick is a former television news reporter who is registered as a sex offender for life, Cleveland.com reports. Police were called to the Spire Sports Complex in Geneva, Ohio on Sunday morning, August 5, and Cleveland.com reports that staff “told police they got concerned over a man taking photographs of the swimmers.” The Spire Institute hosted the Central Zone Age Group Championships that weekend, a meet for 14-and-under swimmers.
According to police, when they confronted Renick, he changed his story multiple times. The local ABC affiliate reports that Renick was dressed as photographer and carrying professional photography equipment. The ABC story says that Renick first gave several different reasons he was at the meet: that he was a freelance photographer, that he was photographing a friend’s child (whose name he couldn’t remember), and that he was an amateur photographer looking to sell photographs.
Asked if he was a registered sex offender or prevented from being around children, Renick at first said no, Cleveland.com reports. But he later told police he’d served six years in prison for molesting two boys under 10 years old. He told police his sex offender status prevented him from being around children, parks or schools, but said he didn’t know if he was prevented from being at the Spire Center.
Cleveland.com reports that Renick pleaded guilty in 1996 to child molestation, and that a search of his home around that time found “thousands of photographs of young boys naked and in bathing suits.”
At the Zone meet, Renick eventually showed police the photos on his SD card. Cleveland.com reports that they included images of “young boys in the diving section of the pool” as well as other locations. He was arrested for obstructing justice by being untruthful to police. A witness also told police that Renick was seen taking photos at other events across Ohio and Indiana.
This same guy was at a Jaguar Aquatics meet this summer at IUPUI doing the exact same thing from the stands. He was sitting near the dive well taking pics. Had a couple of cameras around his neck, photographers type vest and looked to be legit, but something just didn’t seem right to many of us. Thankfully the JAGS meet personnel confronted him and he left.
This article leaves out a lot of information…It doesnt actually say that he made it on deck. As someone that takes pictures at meets from the stands, i wonder what tipped them off to anything unusual.
As an area coach of he made it to the pool deck that is news to everyone. He was spotted and approached by workers in the stands. As stated in the article, he had been seen at other area meets. See someone once and you think maybe he is a grandfather, twice still possible, but this individual had been seen at enough different meets to prompt a conversation about why he was taking pictures of different children from different teams. It is a very disturbing and scary situation, but the coaches and workers at the meet did a great job trying to protect the children.
My 10yo son saw him standing outside the locker rooms on deck on the first day of competition. He remembered him because he was alone and not with a swim team. He did not see a camera around his neck. I have spoken with the sheriffs office and they confirmed that he was there multiple days, was in the press room and on the pool deck. The article does not state that but you can easily confirm with the police department. I normally don’t comment on these things but I am so incredibly upset. I am asking everyone to please write to USA swimming and petition to get this man banned from any USA swim meet. We have to have… Read more »
He’s BACK. At Culver Academy on 12/2/2023 but not arrested until 12/20/203.
One thing I do appreciate is strict deck policies at the meets in my LSC, they’ll stop the meet and kick parents/adults right off the pool deck in front front of everyone if not an official or a checked in coach. Looks like they dropped the ball here in Ohio, which is shocking to me.
This individual was in the stands and paid to enter just like everyone else spectating the meet. Not sure how coaches identifying a possible problem, contacting building security who then investigated the problem, and then they quickly contacted the police is dropping the ball.
I am thankful to all who took action and kept the swimmers safe. Unfortunately this could happen anywhere, but whether it was training coaches take to identify safe sport issues or just a feeling they had I am glad someone said something.
My particular fantasy is watching a group of 13-14 year old boys from the meet kick his ass in the parking lot. I was there and those boys were plenty big enough for the job.
Yes this is incredibly bad!
There are so many more things going on within USA Swimming, that it would make your head spin.
Here’s one for you- an Olympian from many many years ago, and now a swim coach- took pictures of one or two girls at a swim meet. I’n those Joyln suits, front and back. Then posted them to their Facebook page, made comments about these girls, shaming them and other comments. Since it was on Facebook, comments could be made from friends as well.
This has been reported to SafeSport as well as USA Swimming- they have done nothing! I am appalled that a coach can take pictures of a swimmer- plus post them… Read more »
. I ordered a size down in Jolyn because I’m not always familiar with US sizing & 34 usually comes in a bit big .So I went for a 32 in Jolyn & lmao I looked like a sausage .. With the package Jolyn sent a cheery note saying they would love to see me in it & could I post a pic to Instagram .! LMAO I can just imagine the comments ..
Jolyn are an a unapologetic skimpy cut but if you get the right size or even go up a size I am sure they would look great on all active girls & women .
Also everybody should get off Facebook . Russians will be directing your vote with subconscious. whirls & kaleidoscope patterns .when you thought you were discussing Jolyn’s 0-10 granny pants ratings .
I can see as to why they have to be so strict with safe sport rules. I took photographs as a volunteer at Y-Nats and not only did I have to complete a two hour training session, I also had to undergo a background check despite being a minor
My child who competed at this meet mentioned to me that no one was checking badges and anyone could walk onto the deck. This is very scary knowing that this sex offender could have entered the locker room as well. Surprising for a USA sanctioned meet!
I was coaching at this meet and was asked to show my tag the session I forgot to put it on before walking into the pool deck. We had one parent make it to the locker room for an emergency, but they were questioned. I did notice staff monitoring the outside hallway to the locker rooms and didn’t notice parents on deck. I did not use or monitor the athlete locker room, but it didn’t look like parents could simply walk into the locker room.
My understanding from the officials was that this individual was in the stands, not on the deck.
On the whole, I was thankful with the response to this situation. Not only did local… Read more »
Not to mention this was a ZONE championship meet.
Well, that’s entirely too disturbing for words.