A judge sentenced a former mixed martial arts coach to decades in prison for sexually abusing and sexually assaulting a minor who trained with him at his Monmouth gym more than a decade ago.
Beau W. Admire, now 43, appeared in Warren County court in a black-and-white striped jail uniform and scraggly beard for a sentencing hearing on two counts of sexual assault and one count of aggravated criminal sexual abuse, all by a person in a position of trust, authority, or supervision over the victim.
On the first two counts, Judge James Standard imposed a sentence of ten years per count, which must be served consecutively per state statute. Admire must serve 85% of the sentence on those two counts.
On the third count, Admire was sentenced to 8 years, of which he must serve 50%.
“Mr. Admire, I hope you emerge from incarceration a different person,” Standard said after advising Admire of his appeal rights.
Admire ran OSE Wolf Pack Mixed Martial Arts Gym on the third floor and in the basement of 208 S. Main St. in Monmouth, where the victim took classes with her siblings starting around 2010.
She was 12 when she started training with Admire and 13 when the abuse began with one-on-one coaching sessions, during which she was forced to perform sex acts at least ten times. It escalated to sexual intercourse when she was 14. Admire was around 30 at the time.
He was arrested in November 2022. At the time, he was operating Badger Combatives – and coaching minors – in Galesburg. He posted bond shortly after his arrest.
Admire was convicted in May, and initially was scheduled to be sentenced Aug. 9. His bond was revoked after his sentencing was delayed on a defense motion.
'Your story could help others’
The victim, now 27 and the mother of a young child, delivered an impact statement at the sentencing hearing, with her family looking on.
She said the abuse caused her severe emotional distress. She’s suffered from anxiety, depression, lack of trust, and has had difficulty navigating relationships.
“I don’t think that there’s any amount of time served that could make up for the damage that was done,” she told TSPR after the sentencing hearing. “However, any time at all to have another predator off the streets and no longer in a position of authority over young children is a good thing.”
The victim kept quiet about what happened for more than a decade, suffering flashbacks and nightmares and leading what she called a “double life” in not acknowledging what had happened to her.
She came forward to police two years ago. She said that was extremely difficult for her after so many years of trying to convince herself she wasn’t a victim.
But through the difficulties, through waiting for the case to go through the court system, wanting for it all to be over, and praying for the right outcome – she said she grew stronger.
Once dreaming of becoming a teacher, she now has a new career goal.
“Through all of this, I decided there is such a need for victims’ advocates, and that is what I’m called to do,” she said. “I have no doubts in my mind now that I’m going to be going towards a degree in social work and I would love to become an advocate for victims, possibly even at this courthouse one day.”
And she has a message for other victims.
“You are not alone. You do not have to be intimidated, even if the court system is extremely intimidating,” she said. “Your story could help other people. As hard as it is to speak about, there’s a reason you have this story, and there is a purpose for all the pain and suffering you went through. God will provide every ounce of healing and strength that you need to get you through a traumatic experience and a process like this.”
Never felt quite safe
Two other women who trained with Admire as teenagers testified at the sentencing hearing about their experiences with him, revealing patterns in his behavior as a coach and abuser.
One woman said training with Admire quickly moved from being exciting and making her feel talented, to being given alcohol and being pressured to perform sex acts.
She said he sent her unsolicited nude pictures of himself and used threats and intimidation to get his way. For example, if she wouldn’t perform sex acts, he told her she wouldn’t be able to train at the gym anymore.
Another woman who trained with Admire in Monmouth for two years, beginning when she was around 16, described him as controlling.
He would tell her what kind of tattoos she could get, for example.
She also said there could be physical punishments for disobeying him. Her younger brother, 13 years old at the time, once stood up for her when she decided not to train at the gym anymore, and Admire made him spar with him as a result.
“I just never felt quite safe there,” she said.
She also said Admire told her that if she wanted to be an MMA star, she would have to get used to taking nude photos.
Indefensible conduct
No one spoke at the sentencing hearing on Admire’s behalf, and he declined to make a statement of allocution.
Several people wrote letters on his behalf, praising his character and generosity, including his wife who's the mother of his two young children.
Defense attorney Andrew Stuckart asked for a sentence of four years each on the first two counts, served at 85%, and four to six years on the third count, served at 50%.
He said Admire has no other criminal history and has abided by the conditions of his bond. He said it’s not likely Admire would ever be in a position as a coach again, so the odds of reoffending were small, and that a lengthy prison sentence would adversely affect Admire’s children.
But Warren County State’s Attorney Tom Siegel said the toll of Admire’s actions is “incalculable” and his conduct “indefensible” and “absolutely despicable.”
Siegel said Admire exhibited a pattern of manipulation that constitutes grooming minors.
He asked for a sentence of 12 years on the first two counts and nine on the third count, along with a fine of $12,000.
In addition to the sentence, Judge Standard imposed a fine of $5,000.
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