Twelve jurors have been tasked with determining the guilt of a former strength coach accused of rape.

After two days of jury selection, the trial of Zachary Gibson started Tuesday.

Gibson, 32, a former strength coach who worked at Bowling Green High School, is accused of 22 charges in two separated cases, ranging from rape to distributing anabolic steroids.

The alleged offenses started in September 2020 and ended in April 2022.

“This case is about child sexual assault, child rape,” said Wood County Assistant Prosecutor Charles McDonald.

He outlined how the actions Gibson allegedly did constitute importuning, pandering, sexual battery and rape.

“He was charged with those crimes because that’s exactly what he did,” McDonald said.

“You will hear what he put them through. You will see it, too,” he said.

McDonald explained how an investigation was started in April 2022 when Gibson allegedly asked a juvenile to send him an obscene photo. A search warrant was obtained for Gibson’s phone.

The detective found saved videos – six of them – that showed Gibson allegedly having sex with an unconscious male, McDonald said.

“It’s bad enough to rape a 15-year-old who is unconscious, but when you film it, you pick up additional charges,” he said.

Conversations also were found between Gibson and another minor with whom he allegedly solicited sex in exchange for muscle enhancers.

What the prosecutor says is not evidence, said defense attorney Sara Roller.

“Just because the state says it’s so doesn’t make it so,” she said.

Evidence from the witness stand must lead you to believe without a reasonable doubt that Gibson committed the crimes he has been accused of, she said.

“We content most vigorously the facts will show an entirely different version of what happened,” Roller said.

She urged the jurors to pay attention to the manner of the witnesses testimony, their accuracy of memories, their interests and biases.

Roller also reminded jurors that her client was not obligated to take the stand and they cannot hold that choice against him.

Additionally, “past conduct cannot be considered proof of guilt,” she said.

Early witnesses included the owner of the former Fastrak Performance gym where Gibson was employed; the BGHS varsity boys basketball coach, whose team Gibson worked with as a strength and conditioning coach; a father of one of the alleged victims, who explained the messages he found from Gibson on his son’s phone; and an alleged victim who was a sophomore at BGHS when the alleged incidents took place.

The alleged victim explained that athletes used to go to Gibson’s home to hang out and drink alcohol “as a seal of our friendship.” He also recounted how Gibson allegedly led him into the bedroom and pulled down his pants.

He said he didn’t tell anyone because he was worried about his athletic career, and he would get in trouble for drinking. He returned to Gibson’s apartment about a week later when a similar situation also allegedly occurred.

Gibson was never employed directly by the school district. He was an independent contractor hired by Fastrak Performance and was fired after the company was notified of unspecified allegations.

Gibson was first indicted in June 2022 for two counts of sexual battery, two counts of illegal use of a minor or impaired person in nudity-oriented material or performance and attempted illegal use of a minor or impaired person in nudity-oriented material or performance.

He was indicted again in April 2023 for three counts of rape, six counts pandering sexually oriented matter involving a minor or impaired person, three counts gross sexual imposition, one count disseminating matter harmful to juveniles, illegal administration or distribution of anabolic steroids, importuning, and two counts failure to comply with underage alcohol laws.

The two cases have been joined for purpose of trial.

In October, the state offered Gibson a deal that if he pleaded guilty to one sexual battery charge, the remaining charges would be dismissed at sentencing.

He rejected the offer.

According to the indictment, Gibson allegedly engaged in sexual conduct with the same 16-year-old while he was a coach “or otherwise in a position of temporary or occasional disciplinary control over the boy.”

The offenses reportedly occurred on or about March 1-April 30, 2022, while Gibson worked with the baseball and basketball teams at BGHS.

The three rape and GSI charges allege that on July 2-3, 2021, Gibson engaged in sexual conduct with a boy, who was 15 at the time, and the ability of the alleged victim to resist or consent was substantially impaired because of mental or physical condition.

Gibson was released from jail and placed on house arrest at a relative’s home in Ada in January.

He was arrested in February on allegations he had been in contact with a minor and with an alleged victim – both acts that were prohibited as part of the conditions of his release from custody in January.