Two young women, represented by attorney Zeke Fortenberry, say they endured years of sexual abuse by their former North Texas figure skating coach, Benjamin Shroats, who now faces multiple felony charges.  

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Collin County Jail

Shroats, a longtime figure skating coach in Collin County, was arrested last week and is facing multiple felony charges for alleged inappropriate relationships, including one with an underage athlete. 

Fortenberry represents two women under the age of 23 who say 47-year-old Shroats sexually abused them.  

“Shroats was their lift coach,” he said. “Meaning he was a specialty coach that helped them do lifts, acrobatics, and jumps, so these girls spent countless hours with him every week, multiple times a week. For one of my clients, the abuse went on for 5-6 years. Beginning at age 16. For my other client, the abuse lasted for a year while she was 18-19 years old.” 

Fortenberry says his first client went to the Allen Police Department on Feb. 15.

“Once she made her outcry, the second skater was made aware of that, and she also chose to make an outcry to her family and the Allen Police Department on the same day,” he said. 

“These girls, their sole motivation is to bring him to justice, that he will be held accountable,” Fortenberry said. “There wasn’t a trigger or a moment in time. The one that came first, just really felt she needed to share this.”

Shroats was arrested on Feb. 17 and booked into the Collin County Detention Center on felony indecency with a child, involving sexual contact and felony sexual assault. He remains in custody on a $200,000 bond.

“Their first reaction was relief,” Fortenberry said. “They have been holding this in for so long. One of their biggest fears in coming forward was that no one would believe them, and so the swift work of the Allen Police Department to have a report on Feb. 15 and arrest on Feb. 17 is outstanding… and I think it’s a testament to both police the police department’s strong evidence against him.”

Shroats has not publicly commented on the allegations, but his attorney has released a statement which says in part, “Mr. Shroats unequivocally denies the allegations against him. As you are aware, criminal charges are accusations and not findings of guilt. The details of this case will be addressed in a courtroom, where evidence is evaluated under the law rather than in the court of public opinion.”

“That just cut them to the core because they know they’re telling the truth,” Fortenberry said. “They know what happened to them.” 

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