Wrestling coach charged with indecent liberties; warrant says he livestreamed boys

A Raleigh business owner and private wrestling coach is accused of inappropriate activity with youth he advised and traveled with out of the country.

Jared Lewis, 51, of Clayton, was arrested Dec. 14 and charged with taking indecent liberties with a minor after a joint investigation between the Raleigh Police Department and Federal Bureau of Investigation. He was indicted on Jan. 23.

Lewis runs World Wrestling Tours, which promotes youth wrestling and provides training and coaching for young wrestlers around the country.

Lewis is alleged to have engaged in lewd acts in 2021 with a boy under the age of 16. According to a search warrant, more inappropriate contact was reported in "early 2023," and more parents began filing similar reports.

WRAL News on Friday spoke to parents who said Lewis was well-known in the youth wrestling community. They said they trusted him to take their children on long trips overseas for competition and training.

A search warrant for Lewis' iPhone, seized during his arrest, provides new details about parents' accusations against the coach they trusted with their children.

Lewis would often travel to other countries, including Sweden and India, with youths he was mentoring, according to the warrant, often without his students' parents.

The search warrant indicates Lewis would record and livestream youth while on trips, reading, "He was observed by one juvenile with cell phone in his hand while multiple juveniles took a shower on one trip."

Lewis also owned Mad City Outdoor Gear, an outdoor sports store located at 5301 Capital Blvd. in Raleigh, where a search warrant alleges some of the child abuse took place. WRAL News on Friday visited the store, but it was emptied out, and a Google search reveals the business has permanently closed.

The search warrant also states that before Lewis was arrested in Raleigh he was stopped at an airport by U.S. Customs on his way back from a wrestling trip with children and questioned about more allegations from parents. His phone was not searched at that time.

Lewis was released from jail on a $25,000 bond and is awaiting trial. WRAL News' attempt to speak with Lewis Friday at his home in Johnston County was unsuccessful.