A former Salina, Kansas, middle school teacher and high school wrestling coach has pleaded guilty to charges involving the secret recording of teenage boys showering in a sports locker room, according to a report by The Wichita Eagle. This shameful case involving Ryan Brungardt, who was a former teacher at Lakewood Middle School and a wrestling coach at Salina Central High School, came under investigation after young athletes reported concerns about being regularly filmed during a tournament. During the investigation, it was alleged that the recordings were made during the Tournament of Champions wrestling competition held at Newton High School in January 2024. At the time, teenage athletes were using the locker room to shower after their matches had ended.
According to previous reports and court documents, three additional teenagers had initially raised concerns about Brungardt’s behaviour, prompting an investigation involving local law enforcement and the Kansas Bureau of Investigation. In March 2026, a federal grand jury returned an indictment containing four counts related to the production of child sexual abuse material. Authorities, during their detailed investigation, suspected that the recordings were connected to wrestling events in various Kansas communities, including Newton, Garden City and Salina. During the investigation, Brungardt allegedly resisted officers attempting to seize his phone and tried to damage it by rubbing its battery. The guilty plea represents a significant development in the ongoing case. The exact charges covered by the plea have not been confirmed here and would need to be verified against court records. The case has raised concerns about protecting minors at school sporting events and providing them with greater safety from people in positions of trust. It has also highlighted the need to protect athletes’ privacy in locker rooms and other changing facilities. Authorities have encouraged anyone with relevant information about suspicious recordings at Kansas sporting events during current or previous seasons to come forward and share their concerns.