DENVER — Overcoming the agonizing weight of anxiety and suicidal ideation took immense effort and months of therapeutic intervention for Jacqui Stevenson. These struggles originated from an arduous experience with her childhood swim coach, a harrowing ordeal spanning more than twenty years.
Earlier this month, a notification on her phone threatened to unravel the fragile stability she’d worked so hard to regain.
“I checked my email and just had a total panic attack,” Stevenson recalled.
The unsettling message from the general counsel, Jessica Perrill, on February 12 began ominously: “I’m reaching out about a recent incident involving the investigator who was assigned to your U.S. Center for SafeSport (the Center) case, Jason Krasley.”
This email marked the beginning of a tumultuous journey for Stevenson, whose story exemplifies the potentially damaging consequences resulting from Krasley’s arrest for sex crimes. These events, alongside how the center has responded to them, have significantly affected those whose cases he managed.
Before this revelation, Krasley had been a trusted figure for Stevenson. As a former vice cop in Allentown, Pennsylvania, he was instrumental when she reported her coach’s misconduct in December 2022. Her case concluded quietly, 14 months later, with the coach receiving a one-year probation after acknowledging inappropriate behavior during her teenage years.
However, the jarring news of Krasley’s arrest for rape, theft, and other charges caused Stevenson to reevaluate everything. Now 38, residing near Philadelphia, and employed as a director at a major software company, Stevenson is uncertain about the center’s stance, as stated by Perrill, that there were no immediate reasons to suspect Krasley of any wrongdoing during his tenure.
She fears that sharing her doubts with the third-party auditors studying Krasley’s casework could inadvertently lead the center to reopen her case. This might allow the coach, who continues to work with children, an opportunity to clear his name.
“He’s probably looking at this and going, ‘Sweet, I’m off scot-free,’” she said, “And all of this is just confirming to him that he can do whatever he pleases.”
Krasley’s departure from SafeSport was abrupt, following allegations against him.
The center emphasizes that it initiated an independent audit to ensure cases were handled correctly. “We recognize the emotional toll revisiting cases may have, so we have been working closely with experts to ensure discussions are conducted sensitively,” stated CEO Ju’Riese Colón.
Krasley was dismissed on November 15, 2024, after the center learned about his arrest linked to a 2019 drug raid. Subsequently, Krasley faced multiple charges, including rape and sex trafficking—charges his attorney claims, his client is innocent of.
The center has not released details on how many cases Krasley worked on, a matter of inquiry by Sen. Chuck Grassley.
Stevenson has reflected on her interactions with Krasley, scrutinizing moments that once felt reassuring. The realization that photos and evidence she provided might be mishandled or misunderstood has left her anxious.
Finding little support from law enforcement, Stevenson once saw the center as her last resort, hoping it could navigate a justice system often seen as inadequate in handling such sensitive matters.
Her doubts trace back to the early 2000s, involving her unsettling relationship with the coach. Their interactions, veiled with substance abuse and inappropriate conduct, remained unresolved until much later.
Years later, when she re-encountered the coach at a swim club, warning signs resurfaced. Though she remained hopeful about his character, witnessing familiar patterns prompted a reevaluation of his behavior.
The coach was eventually dismissed from the club, but the backlash against Stevenson was severe, leading to a petition for her removal from the board. This upheaval contributed to a dark period, intensifying her feelings of responsibility towards safeguarding children.
“The hardest part for me was getting Jacqui to the finish line, and I felt like we got her across the line, and then she gets smacked in the face with this,” noted Mike Scime, a steadfast supporter during these tumultuous times.
With law enforcement providing no solace, Stevenson turned to SafeSport—a testament to her determination despite the centers’ imperfections. Yet, Krasley’s arrest casts a shadow over her perception of the very institution she believed in.
Reflecting on Krasley’s assurances, Stevenson acknowledges their eerie familiarity to past manipulation suffered at the hands of her coach, emphasizing the nuanced dynamic of trust and betrayal.
If you or someone you know is experiencing a crisis, the national suicide and crisis lifeline in the U.S. is available by calling or texting 988, with further resources available online.
