‘Shocked and saddened’: Groups respond to arrest of Thomasville acting teacher, gymnastics coach

THOMASVILLE, Ga. (WCTV) – After allegations of inappropriate contact with underage girls against a Thomasville acting teacher and gymnastics coach, two organizations that employed him have released statements.

Ryan Carr, 37, was arrested on charges of sexual battery on a minor, rape and sexual assault. Investigators say Carr provided alcohol and drugs to a minor in order to coerce her into having sex with him and inappropriately touched another underage girl.

The first alleged victim was a student of Carrs at the Young Actors Conservatory, a venture of Thomasville on Stage and Company.

“The TOSAC family was shocked and saddened to learn of the sexual abuse allegedly perpetrated by Ryan Carr,” wrote TOSAC board member J. William Bass, Jr. in a statement to WCTV.

The statement says Carr had a brief relationship with TOSAC, first as an actor appearing in a late 2018 production, then as an instructor in the Young Actors Conservatory for approximately six months.

Bass says during that time, Carr instructed one of the alleged victims, but his statement says the allegations against Carr occurred away from TOSAC premises, “significantly after Mr. Carr’s relationship with TOSAC was concluded.”

Bass says all conservatory classes were observed and supervised by one or more board members of TOSAC, and the conservatory was discontinued in early fall, 2019.

The sheriff’s office says the allegations of inappropriately touching another minor happened while he was working as a gymnastics coach at the YMCA.

In a statement, Thomasville YMCA CEO Tom Everett says Carr has not been employed at the YMCA since 2020, but notes “The YMCA takes this allegation seriously and is undertaking a review of its policies and procedures.”

Carr moved to the Thomasville area in 2019, with a background working in Chicago and Los Angeles as an actor and stuntman in TV shows including Empire and Chicago P.D., and in films including Divergent and Hannah Montana: The Movie.

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