Feb. 20 Update: On Feb. 20, James C. Wyant Director of Athletics and Chair of Physical Education, TJ Shelton released an email informing the Athletic Department of the recent event.

On Friday, Feb. 12, Jason Nutter, a Case Western Reserve University athletic trainer, was sent home early from the men’s basketball team’s away game after a female CWRU athlete allegedly reported Nutter’s prior conviction to CWRU. This conviction—a 2012 case involving a 17-year-old minor—prompted his immediate dismissal.
In a statement to The Observer, the university said “Case Western Reserve University’s athletics department became aware Feb. 12 of a prior legal issue involving an assistant athletic trainer who was employed by a third-party company. There were no reported issues regarding this individual at Case Western Reserve. However, within a few hours of learning this information, the university contacted the external third-party company that employed this individual and required his removal from working with Case Western Reserve University.”
According to court records from the 2016 appeal, Nutter, who was 29 at the time, admitted to engaging in communication and contact with a 17-year-old that included texting, holding hands, kissing and going to movies together. The records also state that investigators found the minor had sent topless photos to Nutter and the two had discussed engaging in sexual activity.
After the investigation concluded, Nutter was sentenced to 60 days in jail, serving 30 of those days. On Nov. 9, 2016, the Ohio Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, and Athletic Trainers Board sanctioned him with one year of probation, during which he was prohibited from applying to reinstate his license, and imposed a permanent restriction limiting his practice to treating individuals over the age of 18. This age restriction was lifted in 2022 following Nutter’s successful request for its removal.
In a statement to The Observer, the executive director of the Board, Missy Anthony said “The mission of the Ohio Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, and Athletic Trainers Board is to actively promote and protect the health of Ohioans through effective regulation of the professions of occupational therapy, physical therapy, athletic training, orthotics, prosthetics, and pedorthics. The Board accomplishes this in a variety of ways, including taking disciplinary action.”
After two unsuccessful attempts to regain his license, Nutter’s athletic trainer license was ultimately reinstated in 2016. He did not practice as an athletic trainer between 2016 and 2022, and he acknowledged applying for positions during that time but being denied due to his license restrictions. During this period, Nutter worked as a coach and referee, noting that the organizations he joined were aware of his prior conviction. Public records also show that Nutter was prohibited from practicing as an athletic trainer in Pennsylvania. In 2017, he applied for a Pennsylvania license but was denied, with the decision citing his 2012 court case.
Nutter was hired through Premier Sports Medicine, LLC, a third-party vendor, at the start of the academic year as the athletic department faced a shortage of athletic trainers heading into the Fall 2025 season. He was assigned to work with the women’s and men’s soccer teams, as well as the men’s basketball team. He was also slated to work with the softball team. One female athlete said she felt uncomfortable after learning about Nutter’s prior conviction and was frustrated that she had not been informed of his background during the fall season.
“When I heard the news, I just thought about how lucky we were, at least from my knowledge, to not have been in any danger or unfortunate situations with him,” she said. “The main word I would say is just scary and disappointing that it kind of flew under the radar here.”
Most colleges and universities require comprehensive background checks for faculty and staff, including athletic trainers. Premier Sports Medicine’s website states that “Every athletic trainer placed by PSM meets or exceeds […] national standards” which their process states explicitly includes a background check, as “criminal background screening [is] completed.”
The Observer reached out to Premier Sports Medicine for comment, but the organization did not respond.
Although Nutter’s conviction occurred in 2012, the nature of the athletic trainer-athlete relationship makes his past especially relevant. Athletic trainers work in close, often one-on-one settings with athletes, who rely on them for treatment, rehabilitation and guidance. That relationship is built on trust, professionalism and a strong duty of care. When that trust is broken in any way, it raises broader concerns about athlete safety and institutional oversight.
In recent years, multiple high-profile cases have underscored how vulnerable that dynamic can be when boundaries are violated. Cases like this have intensified the focus on athlete protection and reinforced the need for transparency and rigorous oversight when hiring individuals in positions of medical authority—considerations that CWRU should consistently prioritize.
“I think there has been a lot on social media and stuff, just talking about athletic trainers, and for it to happen at our own school, even though there’s a lot more knowledge and awareness about this kind of stuff happening, especially to female athletes—it’s disappointing, and I think there needs to be some thorough background checks,” a CWRU female athlete said.
A male CWRU athlete, who requested anonymity and had worked closely with Nutter, said he was stunned to learn of the trainer’s dismissal and the alleged circumstances surrounding it. He expressed concern and frustration that the information had gone unnoticed for the past seven months.
“It was completely unexpected and out of the blue considering he was working with our athletics teams a week ago,” he said. “I also immediately felt for some of my colleagues on our women’s sports teams because I can only imagine how they feel about the situation.”
Like many athletes, he questioned how the information had not surfaced sooner and believes CWRU must take stronger steps to ensure the safety and protection of its athletes.
“I would hope that the athletic department does its due diligence when making hiring decisions and conducting background checks,” he said. “While I feel this is something that should’ve been discovered and made clear, I hope the athletic department will take steps to ensure that something like this doesn’t happen again. I believe that the athletic department will have to work to build trust amongst some of its student athletes moving forward.”
As of Wednesday, Feb. 18, the university has not issued a public statement, and athletes say they were not formally informed of the decision. Nutter’s online profile was taken down from the athletics website less than 12 hours after his dismissal. Athletes interviewed said they believe the university should issue a formal explanation of what occurred, apologize for the lack of transparency and provide appropriate resources for students moving forward.
“This is information that should be disclosed to student-athletes, especially athletes on our women’s teams who might not be comfortable working with someone who has this in their past,” a CWRU male athlete said. “A situation like this can affect trust across all parties and a student athlete has enough pressure to perform in school and athletics along with outside life factors. They shouldn’t have to worry about the integrity or actions of someone they work with in athletics.”
The Observer also reached out to Nutter for comment, but was unable to receive comment by the publication deadline. The Observer will continue reporting on this story and will provide updates as additional information becomes available.