A former Superior, Wis., gymnastics coach was sentenced Wednesday to 25 years in federal prison for sexually assaulting a teenage girl and producing child pornography.

The punishment handed down by U.S. District Judge Kate Menendez was the first in a series of sentencings for George Francis Deppa, who has admitted in three jurisdictions to the abuse of at least six minors.

Deppa, 50, a former coach at Twin Ports Gymnastics, pleaded guilty in federal court in June to a count of production of child pornography.

He acknowledged taking photographs while coercing the 15-year-old girl to engage in sexual conduct. Court documents said he subjected that victim to “extreme inhumane conditions,” routinely drugging the girl before molesting or raping her, from the approximate ages of 8-16.

George Deppa. (Courtesy image via Forum News Service)

Deppa also pleaded no contest in Douglas County Circuit Court to two counts of second-degree sexual assault of a child and one count of exposing genitals to a child. A third count of second-degree sexual assault of a child was dismissed but read in for sentencing.

In those cases, authorities said he sexually touched two teenage students and tried to “make out” with them while they were out for rides in his boat and during sleepovers at his Superior home.

A third Wisconsin victim also came forward after seeing news coverage of his May 2021 arrest, saying Deppa inappropriately touched her during a private coaching session.

In Minnesota, Deppa entered Norgaard pleas to felony second-degree and gross misdemeanor fifth-degree criminal sexual conduct. A Norgaard plea allows a defendant to maintain he is unable to fully recall the circumstances of a crime while acknowledging sufficient evidence exists to obtain a conviction.

In September testimony, Deppa did not dispute that he provided Ambien, a prescription sleep aid, to a girl when she was 13 or 14, touching her genital area while she was in and out of consciousness.

He likewise acknowledged evidence that he engaged in similar conduct against another victim when she was 17. Court documents indicated he also crushed up a white pill and provided it to that girl before the assault.

Deppa entered into a global plea agreement, which resolved six cases across the three jurisdictions and narrowed his potential sentencing range.

The federal pornography charge carried a mandatory minimum of 15 years in prison and a statutory maximum of 30 years. However, the agreement stipulated that the defense would seek no less than 20 years, while the U.S. Attorney’s Office would cap its request at 25 years.

Menendez on Wednesday imposed the top sentence based on aggravating factors that included “a pattern of isolating” and the drugging of victims, according to a statement from federal prosecutors.

The same plea agreement will be in effect with the Douglas County District Attorney’s Office when Deppa appears for sentencing on the Wisconsin charges Dec. 20.

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