Appellate Court Denies Former Gymnastics Coach Michael Cardamone’s Motion for New Trial in Witness Harassment Case

WHEATON - DuPage County State’s Attorney Joseph E. Birkett announced today that the Second District Appellate Court of Illinois has denied former gymnastics coach Michael P. Cardamone’s motion for a new trial in relation to his January 2006 witness harassment case.  Cardamone, 31 (d.o.b. 2/03/1977) filed his motion challenging the sufficiency of the evidence for his conviction.

On January 13, 2006, Cardamone was found guilty of one count of Harassment of a Witness, a Class 2 Felony and sentenced to serve three years in the Illinois Department of Corrections.  This sentence came roughly one month after Cardamone was found guilty of sexually abusing seven girls that he taught at his family-owned American Institute of Gymnastics & Pre-school in Aurora.  Cardamone was sentenced to twenty years in the Illinois Department of Corrections for this offense.

On July 7, 2004, following a court appearance at the DuPage County Courthouse in Wheaton, Cardamone made a false 9-1-1 report of traffic infractions of a witness and family member of a child witness in the pending case against him.  The false report resulted in a DUI stop by an Aurora Police Officer, which caused mental anguish and emotional distress for the witness.

  “I am very pleased with this opinion handed down by the Appellate Court,” remarked Birkett.   “This opinion is a major victory for witnesses and crime victims alike and sends a strong message to anyone involved in ongoing litigation that any attempt to harass or intimidate a witness will not be tolerated and will carry significant consequences.  I would like to thank Assistant State’s Attorneys Alex McGimpsey and Michael Pawl for their work on both of these cases involving Mr. Cardamone.”    Justice Callum delivered the opinion, which was filed on February 14, with Justices Bowman and Grometer concurring.

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