Nearly 33-year sentence for Bend gymnastics coach

Former Bend gymnastics coach Richard Gustafson was sentenced Tuesday to nearly 33 years in prison on sex abuse charges involving students he fondled during overnight sleepovers at the gymnastics academy he founded, as well as child pornography and other charges.

Gustafson, who turned 50 last Thursday, was wearing a dark-blue Deschutes County Jail uniform and handcuffed for the first time as he appeared for sentencing in the courtroom of Circuit Judge Wells Ashby.

Gustafson waived his right to a jury trial, and on Nov. 7, after several days of testimony, including that of young victims, Ashby found Gustafson guilty on all 11 counts of first-degree sex abuse and 20 of 22 counts or encouraging child sex abuse involving child pornography found on his computers, as well as one count of cocaine possession.

Ashby had set sentencing for the following week, but that was rescheduled after Gustafson received medical treatment for a jail altercation.

On Tuesday, the judge imposed a 393-month sentence, 375 of those under the mandatory minimum sentencing guidelines of Ballot Measure 11. He also ordered that Gustafson pay $2,000 to each of the victims as compensation for the costs of treatment and therapy, and for missed school days during the trial.

Gustafson declined when offered a chance to address the court, his victims or their families.

But the father of one of the girls spoke of the violation of trust and pleading for the judge to impose the maximum sentence of nearly 70 years; Gustafson looked straight ahead, as he did during most of the hour-long proceeding.

“The victim, my daughter, has a life of change she will live with for the rest of her life, and it’s difficult to know how normal this child would be, had this not happened,” he said.

The defense also had one person speak to the court at sentencing, a good friend of Gustafson whose son attended classes at Acrovision. Despite all that has occurred, the man said he believes Gustafson is “a good guy. My kid trusts him with his life.”

“None of us is perfect,” this father said. “Some of us have skeletons in our closet — some of us horrible ones, some of us minor ones. But there is a large amount of good that has been done by this man in the world.”

Prosecutors also urged the maximum sentence. But defense attorney John Kolego said that while justice deserves to be served, Gustafson shouldn’t go away for the rest of his life, as he’s not going to be a threat to the community.

In imposing sentence, Ashby told Gustafson and the courtroom: “Adults have a duty to children — they have a duty to all children — and that’s to protect those kids. Not 99 percent of the time, or almost every time. It’s all the time.”

When released under post-prison supervision, the judge imposed several conditions. He must have no contact with the victims or their families, or with minors. While in prison, he must undergo sex offender treatment, and can only have Internet access after his release. He is forbidden to possess alcohol or controlled substances.

After the sentencing, Chief Deputy District Attorney Mary Anderson called the judge’s ruling fair, despite not being the maximum penalty as sought. She said she hopes the outcome encourages children who are abused, and their families, to reach out to the KIDS Center and its “Darkness to Light” program.

Defense lawyer Kolego, meanwhile, said, “I expect my client will appeal” the conviction and sentence.