Gustafson

A Deschutes County judge reduced bail Thursday for Acrovision Sports Center co-owner Richard Gustafson, who faces nine counts of first-degree sexual abuse involving girls who attended sleepovers at the Bend gymnastics and martial arts studio.

Circuit Court Judge Roger DeHoog agreed to lower Gustafson’s bail to $200,000, which will require him to post $20,000 to be released. His bail had previously been set at $300,000; Deschutes County Deputy District Attorney Jon Char had asked for it to be increased to $500,000, while Gustafson’s attorney John Springer requested a reduction to $100,000.

If Gustafson makes bail, he will be under house arrest and subject to GPS monitoring. He will be forbidden from having any contact with Acrovision, the parents of any Acrovision students and any minors aside from his 10-year-old son. He will also be required to surrender his private pilot’s license.

Gustafson, 49, has been held at the Deschutes County Jail since Jan. 8, when he was arrested on suspicion of abusing two girls at a New Year’s Eve sleepover at Acrovision. Investigators have subsequently said they have identified two more girls who claim they were abused by Gustafson at Acrovision sleepovers — one held on Halloween 2013 and one in early 2012. The four all told police Gustafson invited them to a loft area above the main floor during the sleepovers before abusing them, Char said in court Thursday.

Gustafson now faces nine counts of first-degree sexual abuse, all involving girls who were between 8 and 10 years old at the time of the alleged incidents.

Char told the judge that investigators expect to identify more victims. The prosecutor read written statements from the father and mother of one of the four alleged victims.

The mother’s statement described her daughter as afraid of Gustafson and requiring repeated assurances that he was in jail before she was willing to tell her story.

“If he is released, I’m certain that her fear will amplify,” Char read from the statement.

The father of a second girl addressed the court in person, telling DeHoog that while he recognizes Gustafson has the right to seek release, he was concerned it could make other victims and their families less willing to cooperate.

Springer also asked DeHoog for help obtaining information about what police found during the execution of two search warrants in the case. In a search of Gustafson’s home, investigators seized all computers and phones, he said, making it difficult for Gustafson’s wife to continue running Acrovision.

Gustafson is scheduled to enter a plea to the charges against him on Feb. 7.

— Reporter: 541-383-0387, shammers@bendbulletin.com