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Former owner of Springboro acrobatic center is registered sex offender

Darin Caviness

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Staff photo by Jim Noelker The Hand 2 Hand acrobatic center in Springboro was open Thursday Nov. 19, 2009.

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By Lawrence Budd, Staff Writer Updated 10:16 PM Thursday, November 19, 2009

SPRINGBORO — One day after revealing her husband and former business partner is a convicted sex offender, the owner of a youth gym in Springboro is getting media scrutiny and support.

In a letter sent Wednesday, Nov. 18, to parents of children attending the Hand 2 Hand Acrobatic Center, Michelle Caviness acknowledged that Darin Caviness, 41, of Spring Valley, was convicted of sexually touching a child in Pennsylvania and was designated as a sex offender.

“I thought it was the right thing to do,” Michelle Caviness said Thursday. “I’m a mom. I wanted to be out in front of the situation, not behind. I wanted to be honest.”

“Since January of 2009, Hand 2 Hand has been managing a crisis. After much prayer and thought, I believe it is now time to share the facts surrounding that crisis with you,” Michelle Caviness said in the letter.

On Oct. 7, Darin Caviness was sentenced to three years of probation, 300 hours of community service and ordered to forgo contact, with anyone younger than 18 , according to court records in Somerset County, Pa.

The court order extends to his four children, his wife said. He is registered as a sex offender in Greene County. Other steps were taken to protect children at the gym.

In her letter, she said, “Upon learning of the charges in January, Hand 2 Hand immediately removed Darin from his responsibilities at the gym and suspended all of his interactions with athletes and students.”

However, she waited until Wednesday to notify parents.

“As of the date of this letter, Darin has divested himself of all of his interests in Hand 2 Hand, including transferring all ownership to me, resigning from his corporate positions (President and Treasurer), and agreeing not to be around or interact with any of the students of Hand 2 Hand. I believe we did and have done everything possible to protect our clients; we have background checks on all employees,” she said in the letter.

“No one has seen him at Hand 2 Hand since January when (Michelle Caviness) found out,” said Diane Trifiro, a member of the Springboro school board who helps out in the gym office.

Michelle Caviness said she had to wait to gain full control of the business and take other legal steps to protect her family. “Unfortunately, we are victims. We’ll probably have to bear some of these consequences.”

On Thursday, several parents offered support and accepted the delay in being notified.

“As horrible as it is. I feel comforted in the truth and the steps that she followed,” Alyssa Bekowies of Waynesville said. “Everybody’s rallied to support them.”

Despite the revelations, Joanie Wolfe of Riverside said, “I wouldn’t send (daughter Hannah) anywhere else.”

“Everybody has issues they have to deal with. We don’t all have to deal with them in a public way,” Wolfe added.

Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2261 or lbudd@DaytonDailyNews.com.

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