As a North Texas figure skating coach sits in the Collin County Jail charged with sexually assaulting two skaters, more details about his alleged behavior have come to light.

Court documents obtained by CBS News Texas on Wednesday outline some of the specific allegations against Benjamin Shroats, which Allen Police Department detectives learned from the victims themselves.

One of the victims was 16 when Shroats allegedly abused her. She told police that Shroats groped her chest in May or June of 2020 at a skating facility. She also told police that Shroats groped her crotch on three or four occasions and would make sexually suggestive comments towards her. 

The other victim said she was sexually assaulted by Shroats when she was 18 and 19. She told police that the abuse occurred between December 2024 and September 2025, after knowing Shroats throughout her childhood and adolescence. Shroats would allegedly touch her buttocks during workouts and pressure her into meeting him alone. She also said that Shroats would instruct her to park her car on the top floor of a parking garage for sexual acts. The victim described Shroats’ warning that both of their lives would be ruined if she reported him.

Police said Shroats’ behavior with the older victim was “consistent with grooming by cultivating a long-term relationship of trust and authority” and gradually introducing sexually suggestive comments before escalating into inappropriate physical, and ultimately sexual, contact.

The documents show that when detectives interviewed Shroats before his arrest, he admitted to having a sexual relationship with the older victim. When presented with claims made by the victim, who was a minor, Shroats admitted to touching the victim’s buttocks on several occasions and that he may have accidentally touched her breast “during what he described as horseplay.” Detectives said that Shroats also claimed that the contact happened when the victim was an adult, and that he denied groping her groin.

Attorneys for victims, Shroats on the allegations

Zeke Fortenberry, an attorney representing the victims in a civil case, spoke with CBS News Texas on Tuesday. Fortenberry explained how the victims were especially vulnerable. “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,” Fortenberry said.

After Shoats’ arrest, Fortenberry said his clients’ first reaction was relief. “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,” he said.

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.”

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.  

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.” 

Leaders in a North Texas suburb have decided to call off the election to potentially withdraw from Dallas Area Rapid Transit — the region’s largest public transit system — after reaching a deal with the agency.

On Monday, the Plano City Council voted unanimously to cancel the May 2 election that would have let voters decide to stay in or leave DART.

Plano Deputy Mayor Pro Tem Rick Horne reminded residents at the meeting that the city’s effort was about improving the agency.

“What we have is good, it’s not perfect, but it’s a starting point,” Horne said.

The council also voted to repeal an earlier resolution supporting capping DART’s tax revenue collections.

The decision follows months of negotiations between DART and several member cities that have pushed for changes in DART’s funding and governance. Plano is one of six cities that called withdrawal elections that would end bus and train service within their city limits.

As part of the new deal, DART will give $360 million back to all of its member cities over six years. It also plans to restructure its board of directors so each city has a representative, expanding the board and reducing voting power for the city of Dallas. Plano City Council members passed a resolution Monday expressing support for the reform and “requesting state legislative action to implement a new governance structure.”

DART CEO Nadine Lee has told KERA the agency will need to finding other revenue streams to keep operations running. The Regional Transportation Council earlier this month approves a plan to help DART pay another $75 million to cities.

“There’s nobody who wants to improve services more than more than DART and we will endeavor to do that,” Lee said. “If we can do that in partnership with the cities and if the cities are working with us in good faith we think that can be accomplished.”

As part of the deal, Plano leaders agreed to cease legislative efforts to defund DART. The city will receive more than $61 million over the next several years.

“I understand we’re not getting everything we want, I understand our riders want additional things, but one step at a time,” said Mayor Pro Tem Maria Tu.

Several Plano residents and transit advocates showed up to the meeting in support of DART. Embher Chaffin, who founded the advocacy group Keep DART in Plano, told the council that she’s thankful DART and Plano reached a deal, but hopes the city will appoint a representative on the board who knows the system.

“The board at DART should include someone who rides regularly,” Chaffin said. “With Plano being one of the most diverse cities in Texas, we should utilize that strength.”

Not all DART riders agreed with the new plan. Some say it lacks transparency and could negatively impact the passenger experience.

“There’s one member of this compromise that is still missing and that’s us, the riders,” Alex Flores told council members. “The [deal] does give you guys an additional responsibility… the funds you receive can be used for transit related projects.”

The council also approved an alternative micro-transit service that it had already allocated money for called “Plano Rides.” The service will be run by Via, a rideshare company that operates in other North Texas cities such as Arlington and Irving.

Some residents say they opposed the new service, calling it “duplicative.”

At least three other cities are considering calling off DART withdrawal elections. Addison and Farmers Branch will review the new DART deal tomorrow. Irving plans to address it on Thursday.

Pablo Arauz Peña is KERA’s growth and infrastructure reporter. Got a tip? Email Pablo at parauzpena@kera.org.