Knoxville cheer coach arrested on charges of child sex crimes out on bond

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WVLT) - Dominck Waters Frizzell, the man that is part of a federal lawsuit alleging sexual abuse of cheer athletes, was arrested by officers with the Knox County Sheriff’s Office on Saturday, May 20, court records show.

22-year-old Frizzell was listed as a Knox County Jail inmate on four counts of sex crimes. The court records show that Frizzell is charged with Solicitation Of A Minor, Sexual Activity Involving A Minor, Especially Aggravated Sexual Exploitation Of A Minor, and Statutory Rape. Frizzell is currently being held on a $100,000 bond in the Knox County Jail.

Several attorneys announced a Tennessee lawsuit in the ongoing national athlete abuse scandal surrounding Memphis-based Varsity Spirit in September of last year. Attorneys filed the federal lawsuit in Memphis, bringing to light multiple survivors and naming alleged abusers, including Tennessee-based Premier Athletics and athlete and coach Dominick Frizzell, a cheerleader at the University of Tennessee, representatives said.

The suit alleges inappropriate behavior, such as the sending of messages and pictures to minor athletes, that happened in Premier’s gym until September of 2022. Specifically, the suit states Frizzell was allowed to “emotionally, physically, and sexually exploit and abuse Defendant Premier’s young athletes, all while under the control and putative authority of Defendants Varsity Brands, LLC.” In doing so, the attorneys allege that Premier Athletics and Varsity failed to create a safe environment for their athletes.

Frizzell was suspended from the UT cheer program on Sept. 16, 2022, and dismissed on Sept. 27, 2022.

Knox County Sheriff’s Office officials had confirmed there was an ongoing investigation into Frizzell in September 2022, but couldn’t provide further details.

Frizzell’s attorney, Don Bosch, said in September they are denying all of the allegations that have been brought against Frizzell. Frizzell got out on a $100,000 bond and was ordered to wear a GPS ankle bracelet and stay away from areas where children are present Thursday, June 8.

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