Synergy Pro Wrestling Owner Exposed As A Sex Offender, Quits Wresting For Good
This has got to be the most shocking thing I have ever read on social media today. Like many wrestling fans, I am completely devastated, heartbroken, shocked and to be honest downright disgusted to hear the shocking news of Colin West aka Patrick Shea. For those who don’t know who Colin West aka Patrick Shea is, this individual is or was, the owner of Synergy Pro Wrestling. And worse, this individual is a convicted sex offender, who preyed on children. Details surrounding some of the allegations of Colin West aka Patrick Shea are shockingly disturbing.
Colin West aka Patrick Shea was convicted in 1999 of sexually assaulting three boys between the ages of 6 and 10. Five years later, when he was 21 years old, Shea was arrested for sexually assaulting a 12-year-old boy, causing or permitting him to send nude photos, as well as images of himself masturbating, according to the report from New Jersey Hills. According to the New Jersey Sex Offender Internet Registry, Shea is a tier-2 offender, meaning he poses a moderate risk of re-offense. Tier-3 is a relatively high risk and tier-1 offenders are excluded from the registry. While this docket has been circulated regarding the three children between 6–10, the allegations in the “separate case” can be found here. In the case regarding the 12-year-old, according to the release, Shea was charged with second degree crimes as a 21-year-old, and was accused of using the Internet to “cause or permit a 12 year-old male to send him nude photos of himself and also images of himself masturbating.”
Completely disturbing.
Mr. Shea used a different name (Colin West) than the one that held those records (Patrick Shea), and that paystubs, and all interactions with wrestlers were under the name Colin West and not Patrick Shea. They had no idea, and are dealing with the shock and horror of this right now. This is an extremely disappointing day for many people on the New Jersey pro wrestling scene. Blindsided is an understatement to describe this.
There are a lot of great Synergy Pro Wrestling talent who just lost their wrestling home because their promoter is a total scumbag. Many promotions like Limitless Wrestling in Maine brought several of them in the past few months, and there’s more to come in the future. You can continue to support them by checking them out there. There are plenty of good promoters and sadly there are plenty of bad promoters. Ultimately, it’s proof that promoters still have a lot of work to do in pro wrestling to rid themselves of these sorts of things. Transparency is critical even during the #MeToo movement.
Terra Calaway, a pro wrestler who had worked with Colin West aka Patrick Shea, and has also revealed that she was completely ashamed and disgusted to allow him in her life and locker room. She said the following on Twitter;
“I claim to be a leader in this community, I need to be a leader. Even when it’s with a broken heart and angry soul. I am ashamed to have ever allowed Colin West aka Patrick Shea, the owner of Synergy Pro, into my life and my locker room. Pro wrestling deserves better.
“We’re all sitting here vague tweeting and no one is just ripping off the band aid. I am devastated. Everything I’ve ever done with Dropkick is tarnished because his voice is all over it. I want to burn my own charity down. But someone has to be the one.
“I don’t know who originally found the details. They should have been the ones to do this. But I don’t like that no one is saying anything and I can’t call myself a mother to this community if I don’t do what’s right to protect my kids and the actual children that come to shows.”
Patrick Shea (or Colin West) posted the following statement to the promotion’s official website. He is leaving the business and admits to his actions.
“I’m going to keep this short, as I know nothing I say will mean much to many of you.
“I’m sorry I was not strong enough to break the cycle of abuse. It happened to me as a teenager & I should have been better. I was not. This is not an excuse. My actions were disgusting, and you have every right to be disgusted by them.
“I have taken great strides to become a better man. Nothing I can do will change what was done. I can never fully repay that debt. But I can spend the rest of my life trying, and I will.
“Please do not take this out on the Synergy roster. They did not know. They are very good wrestlers & even better people. I’m sure they are hurting enough right now. Please support them.
“It is clear by public opinion I am not welcome, and I will be leaving wrestling immediately. I will make no effort to return or be involved.
“I hope I have proven to some of you along the way that people can change. You weren’t deceived. I am who I portray myself to be. I hate what I did decades ago. But I am proud of who I am today.
“My primary goal in wrestling was to make people happy. I’m sorry I failed.”
I’ve been a wrestling columnist for 9 years and worked with many different sites that are too many to mention. But this has got to be the biggest black eye I have ever seen in the New Jersey independent wrestling scene. Worse is that Independent Wrestling TV (IWTV) announced on Friday that they were no longer affiliated with Synergy Pro Wrestling. And a lot of it’s talent has cut ties with the promotion. To me, pro wrestling is something special, even if I covered it for almost a decade. It can’t really be explained to someone who has never been in a ring or locker room or in the cheap seats. People like Patrick Shea aka Colin West HAVE ZERO PLACE in this business.
This is why people like Patrick Shea aka Colin West should NOT go after children. People like him shouldn’t be going after anyone; consent and building relationships is a thing you know. But the lesson is this: YOU DON’T GO AFTER CHILDREN. I feel so bad for everyone who put their trust in him and believed in him. I feel extremely bad for the victims and hopefully they are doing well. Perhaps some promotions in the New Jersey area should have a fundraiser show to raise money for them and turn this tragedy into something positive.
So please, do not defend Colin West aka Patrick Shea, just because you love Pro Wrestling or Synergy Pro. He is a convicted Pedophile, he is supposed to be in jail and not running a promotion. He hides his real identity for years, lies and manipulates the wrestlers to work for him. Don’t give up on the great people who were in the Synergy Pro Wrestling locker room. A lot of really talented guys and gals. Continue to support the individual talent, the production crew and the affiliated individuals now separating themselves from this organization.
Bottom line is, I will never support a promotion run by a pedophile.
If you know something, or see something, say something. That holds true for promoters.
